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Book 



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PRELIMINARY REPORT 



CONDITIONS AND NEEDS 



OF 



Rural Schools in Wisconsin 



RESULTS OF FIELD STUDY REPORTED 

to the 

WISCONSIN STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

by the 

TRAINING SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE 



AUGUST, 1911 



/ 



PRELIMINARY REPORT 



OS 



CONDITIONS AND NEEDS ?.:£ 



Rural Schools in Wisconsin 



RESULTS OF FIELD STUDY REPORTED 

to the 

WISCONSIN STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS 

TRAINING SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC SERVICE 



AUGUST, 1912 



V 



^t1 



D, OFD. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS. 



Letter of Transmittal 5 

PART I 

Factors wliirli INIake J'or Progress in l\nral Scliouls 7 

PART It 

Lax jMctliods of ControIIiiii;' Seliooj Iv\[)riii1if iircs 13 

PAKT III 
Sanitary and Edurational Conditions of Knral Schools 26 

PAK'T iV 
Some Serions Dcfccls of ( 'mini y Sn[icrvision 70 

PART V 
Some Serions Defects of State Snpervisiou 78 

PART VI 

Contrast between State Supervision of State Graded 

Schools and State Supervision of Rural Schools 83 

PART VII 
Suggested Administrative and Legislative Remedies 87 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 



In Novpmher ]911, it was annouiu'ed that a fund for a five- 
year test of field training for public service had ])een raised by 
Mi-s. E. H. Ilarrinian and that the New York Bureau of Muni- 
cipal Research was to <'ondnct flie lest. 

Of the five jiuriioscs named by flie donors the following sug- 
gested the study, hert' icpoi'ted. of 1he Wisconsin rural schools: 
'To qualify men to meet the growing need for students in ad- 
ministralion com'petent fa) to test, and (b) to improve meth- 
ods and results ot inunici]>al service." 

Becausv 1.4()i».(i(H> nf Wisconsin's 2.5(10.000 people are in 
rural crimnunilics. and l)ecause no field of public service more 
needs to have its nieii and its uiethods tested tlian does the field 
of public education, we were glad to accept the invitation to 
collaborate with the Wisconsin State Board of Public Affairs in 
studying rui'al school conditions and needs in Wisconsin. 

In obtaining and inteq^reting the facts here reported we have 
received the unstinted cooperation of state and county superin- 
tendents, teachers and other individuals interested in public edu- 
cation in all |)arts of Wisconsin. The findings, suiiuiiarized under 
the seven headings notccl in the table of contents, arc based upon 
a genei'al exaniin;,ticn of conditions in 27 counties in widel.y 
Separated portions of the slate and upon a nioi-e detailed investi- 
gation of conditions in 131 schools in 18 counties. Most of the 
significant facts about rural school accounting were gathered by 
P. S. Staley, field agent of the State Beard of Public Affairs, 
now with the Training School. 

To suppoi't tlie summary given in this prelitiunai-y report we 
suliijiit a detailed, itemi/.ed description of the manner in which 
the study was conducted ami the details as to each school visited. 

As agreed upcn licfoi-e we undertook this study, our recom- 
mendations, S(( far as the.v relate to steps which might need to 
be varied accoi'ding to .-ui intimate knowledge of different parts 



6 Conditions and Xccds of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

of Wisconsin, have been made after review Ijy the State Board 
of Public Affairs. While we make these recommendations with- 
out reservation, we feel that their main worth is in the fact that 
they represent tlie judgiiient not merely of our own investigators, 
but of Wisconsin students and nftieei's of your ITonoi'able Board. 

Foi; TIIH TKAININO SCHOOL Fob' I'URLTC SERVICE 

Joiix V>. I'INE \Vn.i,i\.\[ If. Au.EN 

Geouge B. Hopkins ' Director 

Frank L. Polk S. G. Lindholm 

Committee of Trustees A. N. Farmer 

H. L. Brittain 

Investigators 



PART I 



Factors Which Make for Progress in Rural 



Schools 



1 — The law is raising standards 

a — By ottVi'iiig sl^.tc ;ii(l it lias stiitmlatril many sdiciil districts 
to g:i'ail(' tlii'ir scliddls. srciirc adiliiinnal and licltcr ttiach- 
iTS, anil 111 rdiit'iiriii to slaiidards srI liy llir slate depart- 
nii'til. 

b — By granting;- roiidil ionally ^M a. year In caidi I'ural sclionl oL' 
the first elass, heating-, ventil;ition and eqnipnient have 
been improved 

c — By setting aside ten eents per ehild of the state appropriation, 
better library l)ooks are cii'eulating in the rui'al schools 

d — By placing the state inspoctoi-s in a position to condemn 
unfit school buildings, the erection of mod(!rn school build- 
ings has l)een stinndated 

e — By giving higher salaries, tenure of office, piotecfinn of the 
civil service law to state inspectors-so long as efficient 
service is rendered,-and greater responsibility to the state 
superintendent it has enabled the state inspectors to gain 
an increa-sing independence and fannliarity with school 
management and inHnence npcii school boards, such as the 
county supcrintrnilcnis, under llie present conditions, can- 
not hope III attain 

2 — The state superintendent is raising standards 

a — B.v insisting on the use of the manual the courses of study 
are gradualh' lieing standardized 



8 Conditions (Did Needs of liural Schools in Wisconsin. 

I) — Hy luiblishiny: and distrilmtiiig iniuiphhjts aud eirculars of 
information, interest in special activities such as tree plant- 
ing, bird study, and agricultural teaching has been stimu- 
lated, teachers have been advised in methods of school 
management, and oilier help lias been given 

c — By i)roiii()tiiig rouidy (■(juvi'iitioiis, schcDJ bo.ii-ds have been 
instructed in their duties, a]-id,-as they sliow in conventions 
and testify in ]>rivate convei-sations with iiivcstigalors,- 
gi'eatly interested aud licjped 

d — By enrorciug the coiuiilions ui)iiii wiiich state ;iid to state 
graded scbddls has lieeii gi'Miilcd improvements are taking 
place in Iht-iii at a rate which leaves tlu,' rural schools hope- 
lessly behind : the teachers are better paid, the leaching 
more efficient, tiie eiiniinnent more complete, tlie school 
board more alert in following tlie recommendatious of the 
inspector 

3 — Leadership among individual superintendents and teach- 
ers is playing an important part in raising standards 

In spite of defects in organization, lack of authority and 
inadequacy of clerical help, many instances have been found 
where a strong personality has found ways of effectively direct- 
ing the school boards, supervising teachers, starting instruction 
in useful arts and helping teachers to be leaders in community 
life. One striking illustration of such leadership is furnished 
by Oconto c((unty. which ditfers not so mucli in the kind as 
in the number of forw-ard steps taken, 'i'lie difference in this 
respect is due, in part, to the fact that the county l)oard allows 
the county superintendent an office a.ssistant at $20 a month for 
nine months, only .$180 a year 

The long list of conditions later mentioned will seem easier 
of correction, as well as more in need of correction, if viewed 
against the background of such. splendid service as is rendered 
every day in Oconto county 

a — Tniancy is actually supervised 

(1) The teachers have been taught to undei-stand the pur- 
pose of tbe li-iuincy law; to sulmiit intelligent, 
accurate reports of aft(>n(lance ; to secure through 
the children or by personal visits the reasons for 
nonattendaiice and to sulmiit repoi'ts thereon; and 



Conditions and Needs of Rural i^ehdols in Wiseeinsin. 9 

to coiipepate with the comity supcriutendent in se- 
curing licttei" attendance 

(2) Cases where the excuse U)v ;dii^ence i.s of doubtful 

h'gality are investigated by the county superin- 
tendent 

(3) Parents wlio ai'e delini(uent in sending their ciiildren 

are visited in person by the sheriff and warned not 
to repeat the offense; a second offense is followed 
by arrest 

(4) Records of the action of the sheriff and the county 

superintendent are kept in the superintendent's 
office, as are notifications to teaehere of such action 

(5) A visit to the office will enable the deputy of the in- 

dustrial commission to check the enforcement of the 
truancy law in this county 

li — Teacliers are efficiently supervised 

(1) Detailed records of observations made during visits 

to scliools are kept on tile 

(2) Records are kept of teacliers' school programs and 

attendance at institutes and teachers' associations 

(3) Records tliat are kept of suggestions in all lines of 

school woi'k, and of results seen, form a complete 
liistiiry (if the ti'acher's career 

(4) Sjii'cial empliasis is laid on Avork in agriculture and 

domestic economy 

c — School boards are interested, informed and guided 

(1) Letters are sent to school boards staling in detail the 

conditions found at the visit to tlie school; praise 
is given for improvement made since the previous 
visit; and suggestions made as to what is immedi- 
ately needful 

(2) An annual letter Is sent to each school board calling 

attention to things which are especially <]esirable in 
its school, surh as cleaning the interior of the school, 
tinting the walls, painiing the woodw irk, providing 
stone or metal jars with faucets, card ratalognes, 
bciok cases, repaii-iug of binding, building of out- 
houses, fencing and improvement of school grounds, 
introducing a new method of writing, etc. 



10 Conditions and Xccds of h'und ScJwols in Wisconsin. 

d — Soci;il rciiti'i- ;iiul extension work is under way 

(1) Teachers and school lioards are assisted in introducing 

cooking and sewing into the schools, and in arrang- 
ing corn contests, u.se of Babcock testers, spelling 
contests and school entertainments 

(2) School exhibits are arranged at county fairs, where 

cooking, sewing, seed tests, w^riting and other 
bi;;Mchcs are explained to parents and taxpayers 

e — Piililicity is L,n\i'ti 1(1 .school facts 

(1) 'i'lic tour loiiniy newspapers each devote columns to 
a "Dcpartiiiciif of School News." School stories 
of interest to the public are printed ; observations by 
the, superintendent on conditions found while visit- 
ing schools; letters from pupils or reports of special 
scliool activities, such as the work of a sewing club, 
a s|)clliiig contest or seed testing; the reports of 
iiistilulcs. le;!cliers' inectings and social center work, 
etc. 

(2 1 'I'lii-oMgh this publicity iiilci'cst in school matters is 
kept alive not only among parents, but among pupils 
and tcaclicfs. Evci-y school, everj' teacher, every 
pupil and even biiard members wish to appear in 
llie scluKil ciiluiniis and are eager to do som'ething 
re;illy noteworthy and of value 

(.'5) Some of tile inlci'cst thus created has shown itself in 
the offer by citizens of $50 for spelling prizes, of 
$50 for growing seed peas, of two scholai"ships to the 
winners of the com tests, of which a considei-able 
number is held in the county and in which more 
than :W0 childi'en ai'e enrolled 

f — (^ther exani])les of what may Ik; accomplished by tlioi'oughly 
live and intelligent county sujjervision are the following: 
(1) In one connly the superintendent was interested in 
having children taught to clean their teeth. Last 
year she took up the matter with her teachers at 
the sectional meetings of the teachers' association 
and at the regular county institute. A company 
manufacturing a tooth paste, supplied for all the 
eliildien in the county cards giving directions for 
the eare of the teeth as well as samples of the 



Conditions and Needs of Earal Schools in Wisconsin. 11 

tooth paste, lu each of the four schools visited 
in that county, all the ehiUlrcn reported that they 
hrushed their teeth daily.' The county superin- 
tendent stated that the ehildren throughout the 
eountv were doing the same 
(2) In another county a superintendent desired to have 
the girls in the rural schools taught to make their 
own" clothing. At every opportunity she talked 
the matter over with her teachers. At the 1911 
summer school held in her county, the superin- 
tendent oi'ganized a class in sewing, drafting and 
rutting simple garments. This class was taught 
),y a rural s.-hool teacher who was an unusually 
skillful needlewoman. She served without pay, 
there l>eing no funds avaihible to pay her. As a 
^■esult, the teachers taking this work are making 
most of their own clothing and everyone of them 
is teaching sewing in her schnol. The investigator 
saw some of the work done. Am(mg the articles 
made by the school girls were suits of underwear, 
aprons, waists and simple .Iresses. All this was 
accomplished after one year's work by the county 
superintendent 
(3) In one county :!,ni)l> children are enrolled m seed 
testing and corn growing contests. To stim\ilate 
interest in this work a two days teachers', pupds' 
and parents' institute was held in December, 1911. 
Everv rural school teacher in the county was pres- 
ent on full pay. The children from the upper 
fonn were invited and over 200 attended. With 
tlu. ehildren came many parents. The program 
.•oiisisfed of addresses by specialists in corn grow- 
ing who gave demonstrations showing just how 
and when seed corn should be selected, cared for, 
and tested. Teachere gave their experience in 
1,,„.hin- Ibis work and all protit.nl by the stories 
,,r Iheir su.M.esses and faihiivs. Tue meeting re- 
sulted in much good. Througliout the county, the 
formal te.xtbook instruction in agriculture has 
been replaced by laboratory work of the most 
practical kind, because of the study of seeds and 



12 Condiliona and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

seed testing in one of the schools of this county, 
fanners discovered tliat llieir own seed corn was 
poor and paid a higli price 1o get good seed. For 
the first time in I lie histoi-y of this rather old 
faniiiiig (•oiiiiiimiity seed testing is done in a 
projx'r way. And this was taught them hy their 
children who had learned the lesson in the rural 
school 



i 



PART II 



Lax Methods of Controlling School Expenditures 



1 — The biennial state reports of common school finances have 
been inaccurate 

If the balance reported on page 337, Fourteenth Biennial Ke- 
port, to be on hand June 30, 1905, and all subsequent items of 
receipts and disliui'sonients, be accepted as accurate, the last 
reported lialance, June 30, 1910 of .$3,()49,r)47.71 is inc-orrect; 
an over-statement of i|<39,561.57. 

2 — The financial reports of town clerks are inaccurate 

An analysis of finnueial reports submitted by town clerks to 
the county superintendents shows that tlie irregiilarities orig- 
inate in the district reports. Reports have been analyzed from 
125 town clerks in four counties, covering tlie school j^ears, June 
30, 1908 to June 30, 1911. 'flie aiiiinnl liahinces were taken as 
tests 

a — Of 479 lialances 227. ov 47.4' ,' . were stale(l im-oi'rci/tl}' 

b — In 147 out of a possible 354, or 41.5% the lialances on hand 
at the begiuniug of tiie fiscal year morning, July 1, were 
different from those reported far the end of the preceding) 
year, night, June 30 

c — Aitiiouu-ji the iri-efTuiai-ilics must liave lii^eii apparent both to 
the couut.N' suiiei'iiitcndeiits, and to the state superintend- 
ent who suliiiiils tliciii as official reports to the legislature, 
no evidence has been found that steps have been taken to 
verify the accuracy of these financial reports 



14 Coiulitions and Xccdx of Jiiir<il ,^chooh in Wisconsin. 

d — No evidence has Imh'ii found tluit insti'iielions liave been 
issued lo school ofliccis e.\plaiMiii<r liow to keej) aceouuts 
properly or how to discuvcr the causes of these irregu- 
larities 

3 — Great differences exist in per capita expenses 

a — Ashland county, out of every .$100 for education paid in 
39K)-1911, $4.83 for stdaries to the school board and $56.90 
for teachers' salaries. "Winnebago county paid 45 cents to 
the school board and $64.60 for teachers' salaries. Eight 
counties, of which Manitowoc leads with 87.1%, pay more 
. than 70% of their total school expenditures for teaching; 
9 counties, of which Sawyer with 32.1% is the last, pay 
less than 55%. For apparatu.s, school furniture and "all 
other purposes" not itemized, Sawyer county in 1910-1911 
paid $21.62 i)er school child; Forest' county $13.68; Wal- 
worth county $13.10; Washburn county $4.45; Barron 
$3.77 ; Wood county $1.99 

b — No evidence has been found that the state or county super- 
intendents have ever tried to learn why the expenditures 
under "cost of equipment" and "other purposes" is so much 
higher in some counties than in others 

e — The analysis of financial reports indicates that pul)lic money 
has been wasted either in collecting and printing inaccur- 
ate and worthless accounts, or else in extravagant expendi- 
tures in some counties and utterly inadequate expenditure 
in others 

4 — Investigation of district accounts reveals numerous short- 
comings 

To ascertain whether an audit of school accounts would be 
advisable a study was m'ade of the school clerks' and treasurers' 
accounts in 60 districts scattered throughout eight counties. 
No discrimination was made in the selection of individual dis- 
tricts except tliat suspicion pointed to the first county visited. 
Conditions found in an examination of accounts for the school 
years 1910-1911 or 1911-1912 are here summarized 



Conditio )).■■: and Xf(ds af liiind Srlnmls ill W isc.ininiii. 1') 

a — In ouly 50% of the districts was any trace found of an ex- 
amination of the records of the treasurer l)y the wliole 
board or hy a cominittee appointed at tlie annual meeting 

b — Wliere an audit was attempted, tlie auditing committee would 
invariably report the l)ooks as correct 

(1) One such auditing committee, including one auditor 

wlio could not sign Ids name, hence "made his 
nuirk" (X), found tiiat .tS<)r>.!)4+H;40+$:i47.41 
totaled $1460.12. After the shortage was estab- 
lished the treasurer was sent for. He reluctantly 
admitted that jjossibly he was $40 short. Grad- 
ually he saw his shortage increase, although he 
protested vehemently and tearfully that he was a 
perfectly honest man and the shortage was due to 
emu's. When eonfi-onted with evidence that he 
had nnlawfull.y appropriated $170.77 belonging to 
the district he promised to make the district a lU'es- 
ent of this amount 

(2) In one district where the investigator found an uuns- 

ual number of irregularities, the town clerk and 
district attorne.y had made an audit of the books 
and reported them "correct except for a slight 
error." The nature of the error was not stated, 
but a fee of $140 (of doul)lful legality) had been 
accepted by the auditors 

e — Financial irregularities overlooked by local audit and not 

noted by county or state superintendents were of many 

types 

(1) Two schools in one town.ship were held in private 

homes. In both cases the schools were attended by 

one family only. In each ease the school board 

])aid to the owner of the house 

$12 a month rent for room to school his own 
children 
$5 a mouth fuel for heating this room in his 

own house 
$5 a month janitor fee for cleani ig this same 
room 
In addition the family received $16 a month for 
hoarding the teacher. In one case the schoolroom 



16 Conditions and Nccfls of h'liral School.'i in Wisconsin. 

was ill au attic Ijut clean and tidy. The teacher 
used it as a sleeping room. But one pupil was 
enrolled. In the other case two pupils were en- 
rolled. The schoolroom was in a log house which 
was absolutely filthy, dark, dingy, unkept and 
hardly fit for stable purposes. The room while 
used for school puqjoses was used by the family 
as if no school was there. The school officers de- 
sired to transport these children nine miles to the 
village school or pay for their board while attending 
school in town. The state gives $50 a year state 
aid to any district which thus transports its chil- 
di-en to a graded .school of at least two rooms 

(2) In the books of a village with a 4 room school en- 

rolling .'ifl pupils the auditor found the following 
expenditures 

1 striking bag $8.00 

3 pairs boxing gloves 21.00 

1 wTestling mat 140.00 

When the secretary was asked to explain the reason 
for these purchases he said they were for the gym- 
nasium. Previous investigation had brought out 
the Jact that during January, 1912, a professional 
wrestler had come to town and had given several 
exhibitions in the school gymnasium. The secre- 
tary of the school l)oard. the principal of the school 
and the druggist who .sold these supplies to the 
school board were pupils of this wrestler and fre- 
quently engaged in wrestling matches with the 
professional. The mats the school owned were 
small. The $140 wrestling mat was bought at the 
time these men were having their bouts, and while 
it cannot be proven, it does seem evident that it 
was liought to avoid the skinned elbows re.sulting 
from not having a large mat upon which to wres- 
tle. The school district is greatly in debt at this 
veiy time, having paid $389.17 in interest during 
the year 

(3) In one district under the township system a school- 

house of the usual type was built. The auditor 
found that unusually large sums had been paid 



Conditions and Needs of Fund Schools in Wisconsin. 17 

for inateriaLs, luiul)er, ele. The total sum paid for 
these and designated "for the uew school" was 
$4,000. The board members when asked the cost 
of this building, were unable to tell, saying that 
it was built by day labor. Asked to approximate 
tlie eost their estimates varied from $600 to $1,000, 
a lumber dealer "who knew the building and from 
wliom a part of the lumlier liad been bought, stated 
that $-1:00 was a fair allowance for materials. A 
])oard member when asked why his board did not 
advertise for bids and contracts for the building 
of the sehoolliouse stated they wished to give the 
people of the district a chance "to make some- 
thing." Ilowevei-. most of the money expended 
for labor was paid to district officials 

(4) In one disfrii-t township system it was found that 
two tcacluTs liad been given 11 orders of $45 each. 
The i'(>(-()rds sliowed that they had been engaged 
for nine iiioiilhs work. Tlie two extra orders were 
shown liy l)ills to be for "extra work." It was 
possible to interview but one of these teachers, the 
other one not lieing at home. The one seen claimed 
that the board during tlie year had increased her 
salary to $55 so tliat eleven payments of $45 would 
just "make it". The minutes of the board did 
not show this, and school board members denied it. 
The clerk explained that this teacher had a veiy 
hard school, that she was lonely, and taken all in 
all lie thought she was entitled to one extra order 
of $45. "When asked why he issued two extra or- 
ders of $45 he denied having done so. When eon- 
fronted by the cancelled orders signed by him he 
ctillapsed and said, "Well, I didn't know I did 
tliat. I sure made a mistake." This teacher was 
the sister of tlu* clerk's wife. lie had no explan- 
ation whatever for issuing the eleven orders to tlie 
other teacher. The clerk admitted that neither one 
had done any ' ' extra work ' ' 

(5) "While auditing the records of one school with 52 
pupils, the investigator found that the wife of the 



]S ComUtio)!.^ and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

secretary of the scliool board was receiving consid- 
erable sums of money for services rendered: 
$30.00 for "labeling books", 1908-1909 
$80.00 for "clerical work," 1909-1910 
$82.00 for "clerical work", 1910-1911 
A personal investigation showed that "labeling 
books" consisted of pasting gummed labels into 
the books. There were but 130 books in the li- 
brary. The board paid $20.00 to a teacher for 
"cataloguing books". In every other district teach- 
ers did this work without extra compensation. It 
was impo.ssible to get any information from eitlier 
the secretaiy or his wife as to the nature of the 
"clerical work" for which she was paid. During 
this time the secretary was not only receiving a 
regular .salary of $75 per year but charged $3 for 
every meeting attended and $3 for each visit to a 
school 

(6) In one district a school board having five schools in 

a township under its control had within two years 
purchased scve^i organs 

(a) Five old and two new 

(b) At prices from $30 to $100 

(c) One of the new organs costing $100 had not 

been removed from' the dealer's home in 
June, although pui-cliased the previous 
Septemlier; one was stored in the town 
hall ; one was stored in the village school 
and unused for the reason that the school 
owned a piano; the other organs were 
distributed among rural schools. The old 
organs were poor and out of repair, al- 
though the board had paid a total of $10 
for repairs on them 

(7) One treasurer refused to give up his records, stat- 

ing in a letter that "they were ci'ooked". Finally 
the books were brought in. The auditor found 
the records in the worst possible shape. It was 
impossible to strike a balance, the records failing 
to show either dates when moneys were received or 
dates when moneys were paid out. On one page 



Condiiions and Needs of liund. Schools in Wisconsin. 19 

of his record of disbursements he charged tile same 
order twice in eight cases. The following show 
the amounts thus duplicated: $3.G5, $10.00, $3.00, 
$11.50, .$3.20, $15.00, $2.75, $2.00 

d — In I vrri/ dislrid innsfiaattd <-.rr( pi one, (h( nnnual financial 
siatemenis hy elistrict clerks an reported to the county 
superintendcnls were found to tie ineorr<et. When orders 
are issued the ch'i-k iiuiUes no effoi't to show tlic i)urpose 
for which they are drawn. When the time comes for the 
annual statement, he has nothing but a record of the lump 
sum of money expended during the year 

(1) For no two places were the form's and records uni- 

form. In most places the following records were 
kept by the clerk: minute book, cancellation rec- 
ord and stubs of orders issued 

(2) In several places the records were not kept ui)-to- 

date and in one di.sti'ict the clerk had for two 
years kept no rocoi'd ofhcr than ihi^ stubs of orders 
issued 

e — The present loose system places no restraiiat upon a clerk 
or treasurer who is inclined to be crooked. Knowing that 
his books will never be audited by anyone who is com- 
petent to do so, he can handle the ,s<'hool orders as he 
pleases 

(1) One treasurer adniilfed that he had bought up all 

orders when (he town Mas short of funds, and 
charged a lump sum, including interest at 7%. It 
was impossible to verify the correctness of the in- 
terest, as the length of time the orders were held 
by him was not shown 

(2) One bank charged $397 interest for one year and 

another $47.98 and did not itemize dates nor orders 

(3) Orders were "raised" so crudely in one district that 

anyone could detect that the original sum had 
been scratched out and another written in, yet the 
treasurer paid them at the higher amount 

(4) In four districts the treasurers charged the board 

twice for thirteen orders amounting to $109.99, not 
including the eight duplications of payment which 



20 Conditions and Nocds of liund Schools in Wisconsin. 

\vci'(' loiiiid nil one slieet of one treasurer's record 
of ilisbiirseiiioiits, as sliowu above 
(5) A certain treasurer received $450 "for paying over 
money while treasurer". In conversation with 
him' he made the following explanation: "You see 
when I became treasurer I received a .certain 
amount of money from my predecessor. After- 
wards bills for work done before I took the office 
came in and I paid them. These totaled $450. 
I didn't lliiiik anything about it at the time but 
later I got to thinking about it and saw that those 
bills had to be paid out of my pocket as they were 
incurred before I became treasurer. The other 
officers thought so too and we had legal advice on 
it, so the board allowed me the $450." An audit 
(jT till' books showed tluxt this treasurer had charged 
the disli'ict and credited himself with every order 
issued by tlie clerk except two, amounting to $8, 
including not only those is.sued during the treas- 
urer's term of office but also those issued before 
he was elected and which had not been paid by 
the former treasurer. The predecessor of this 
treasurer, a brotlier-in-law, was $196.40 short in 
his accounts and was forced to make good, the 
shortage having been .shown up by a local audit- 
ing committee a few months after his term of 
office had ex])ired 
(G) In another district the treasurer had charged $20 
withoTit showing a corresponding order or reason 
for the charge 

(7) In two districts the ti-easurer's records did not show 

the proper balances on hand at the close of the 
year 1910-1911, and they were short in their ac- 
counts, $171.95, and .$336.77, respectively. In both 
])laces the treasurers admitted the shortage and 
offered to make the sclmnl boai'd "a present" of 
the amount short 

(8) The treasurer's rccnvds vary as widely as do the 

clerk's 

(9) In but eight disfi'icts was it found possible from the 

books alone to strike a balance for any fiscal year 



Conditions and Xccds of Rural ;:ichools in ^Yi:i(■onsin. 21 

(10) The treasurers in enteriug paid school orders under 

"disbursements", invarial)ly use the dates on which 
Ihc orders were issued liy the chu'lcs, instead of 
Ihe dales wlieu paid. It was therefore impossible, 
when the balance could not be obtained from the 
books directly, to get a liook balance for any fiscal 
year, except in the few cases where the paid school 
orders were preserved and dates of payment 
stamped on them. In many cases the orders had 
not been marked "eaucelled" or "paid" 

(11) In eight districts bills were paid for different 

amounts from those stated on the clerk's order. 
In one district an overpayment of .'1*27.53 had been 
made on fen orders 
(12) In seven districts records did not slmw any dates for 
money paid out 
(1.3) In two districts the records did not show that any 
money had been received 

(14) In 12 districts bills were paid for contract work 

when no records of contracts could he found in 
1he minutes 

(15) In oiic (listi-jcl, ;i lic-isurcr who served both as town 

aJid scIkhiI (rcasurci-, charged 2'/,. for distributing 
to (he nllirr treasurers school money received both 
friim the cdunly and from Ihc slate 

(16) In nine districts money was paid altliough no bills 

had been presented 
(17) In one district teachers were compelled to pay to 
storekeepers 10% for cashing salary checks, as the 
school treasui-;\' had no funds 

(18) In one district the school was discontinued and yet 

(he 1i(iai-d cdiiliiiued fur 1w(i years to levy and col- 
lect, school taxes 

(19) One treasurer repcrted that Jie had not received the 

$50 state aid due the districts for school year 
1909-1910, owing to the fact that the proper re- 
piii't had not liceiL made to the state department of 
public instructiim. After school election, the new 
clerk wrote to the slate superintendent and found 
out that the money had been pent to the treasurer, 
and that his endorsement was on the back of the 



22 CondUioHs and Xcrds of Etind Schools in Wisconsin. 

cancelled cheek. Confronted by this statement 
from the state superintendent he confessed that he 
had received the money and gave the clerk an 
order on his employers for the amount, $50 

f — Boards as such participated in errors 

(1) In 26 districts the boards allowed bills which had 
neither been itemized nor audited according to law 

(2) In 13 districts records do not show that an annual 

settlement was made between the treasurer and the 
board 

(3) In three districts bills were paid on which the amount 

of the indebtedness was not stated; the sum ap- 
pearing in the cancellation record only 

(4) In 17 districts the board membere made illegal 

charges for taking the school census 

(5) In six districts the board members made illegal 

charges for posting notices of school meetings 

(6) In two districts the board m'embers charged for liv- 

er>- hire to attend meetings when they used their 
own hoi'ses 

(7) In 17 districts the lioard allowed themselves higher 

comjiensation than the law prescribes although sal- 
aries had not been voted upon at any annual meet- 
ing 

(8) In four districts board members received compensa- 

tion for attending board meetings that were never 
held or meetings when the minutes show that they 
were not present 
(!)) In four districts members charged from $2 to $4 for 
attending school board meetings besides receiving 
a regular salary 

(10) In four disti'ic'ts the board members charged for 

visiting schools 

(11) In 1905 a certain school board bought from its presi- 

dent a one-acre school site at a cost of $375. The 
plot was a part of the board member's homestead, 
partly cleared and located seven miles from a 
village in a newly settled country. The price 
of stump land in that section at the present time 
is from $5 to $15 per acre. (In 1905 it could 



Conditions and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 23 

not liave been more.) At the time of the sale, 
this property was government land as the board 
president had not proved np on it. This record 
was obtained from the land office. The school 
board paid fur digging a well on this school site. 
None was dug there ; but on the home lot of the 
board president, and within 400 feet of the schooj- 
honse, a well was sunk at the time when the board 
])aid the bill for a well on the school site. The 
sclh-r still retains the land 

(12) In 18 districts board members contracted with them- 

selves, a proceeding which the law prohibits 

(13) In the purchase of wood for school use one board 

paid .$1.75 to •^2.50 a cord when purchased from 
individuals not connected with the board. In not 
a. single case where wood was bought of board 
members, their relatives or business associates, did 
the board pay less than $4 per cord. One pur- 
chase, amounting to 50 cords, was purchased from 
the son of the board president. It was not cus- 
tomary for tlie boai'd to measure wood when de- 
livered 

(14) In one disti'iet it was customary for school board 

members on their trips to the neighlwring to\^Ti 
to bring back supplies for their schools, and charge 
expense of trip to the school board. In one case 
the county superintendent assured the investigator 
that a school board member after spending a whole 
day in a town and becoming intoxicated, charged 
and actually received $4.50 dra.yage for taking to 
his scliool a box of crayons. During 1910-1911 
the school board luud $13.50 for drayage in de- 
livei'ijig supplies to schools 

(15) Fn one district a school clerk was appointed by the 

board at $3 a day to supervise the construction of 
a school building, receiving $409 compensation for 
this work. During the period when the schoolhouse 
was being built this man was liusily engaged as a 
lumber sealer and was also town clerk. Further- 
more, he was not a builder or contractor and was 
not qualified to supervise the construction of a 



24 Conditions and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

Iiiiildiufj:. The Ixijird in fact had already engaged 
a head carpenter for this jiiirpose at a salaiy of 
ijfi.SO a day 

(16) On June 11, 1010 a, scIkioI \nr.u-d emlraeted for the 

digging of a basement for a school building. $200 
was the contract price. Immediately after award- 
ing the contract the board appointed themselves a 
committee of three to supervise the work. The 
three board members i-eceived $120 in payment for 
supen'ising the $200 joli. 

(17) In one district $20.25 was paid to a notary for 

swearing to affidavits of accounts, tiie district pay- 
ing for this service at 2,5 cents per bill 

g — In two districts only was it found that the county superin- 
tendents had a.s.sisted the school boards in disentangling 
their accounts 

li — Almost universally the oftieers were eager to be instructed 
in i^roper methods of keeping accounts, one clerk travel- 
ing 28 miles to have his liooks straightened out 

i — In many cases the treasurer desired a competent audit of his 
accounts in order that tlie peuple might be satisfied as to 
their correctness 

5^The census of children of school age upon which the dis- 
tribution of state school moneys is made, has been found 
very inaccurate due to duplication and error invited by 
the complicated method of reporting children to town 
clerks 

a — Some coiintii's are deprived of their just share of the state 
appriipriiitiiin and (itliers are receiving too niuch 

b — The number of children reported is usually exce.ssive in 
towns where there are many joint districts 
(1) One county leported on June 30, 1911, 8,304 chil- 
dren of sclieol age; a recount of the census lists 
showed only 7,790. The clerk had reported 514 
children too many. At the present rate of appro- 
luialioii the county received $1,379.00 too much. 
Ill till' disli-icts (if this county which were not 



ConflUioiis (tiid Xi(ils III' 1,'iinil Srliuiils in Wiscoisiii. 25 

joined w iili ciilici- (iisfricts. till' clerk rei)orted 4,292 
cliildreii, '4 too in:iiiy, for tlie rei-oimt showed 4,28'J. 
The cxepss ill th(^ clerk's Jiijiire.s is ahnost ex- 
clusi\('ly ill the joint districts 

(2) In Jiiiotlier eonnty llie clerk repoi'ted 6,778 children, 
the recount showed fi,I)S() or an exc-es.s of 108 

(:i) In 7 connties e\;iniiniMl the clerks I'eporled 1,932 
more children tlnin round in the recount. In ad- 
dition tile recount found 112 chiklrtin 20 years of 
age and JW whose ages were not stated 

(4) The exeessive muuher of children reported lowers 
the ])roportion of the state apportionment coming 
to each ehihl and the counties reporting accurate 
tigures receive, tliei'cfore, a smaller share than 
they are entitled lo and would receive, if the 
otliei- counties were accurate 

c — 111 reporting the luimliei' of chihlren of compulsory school 
age, seven years and less than fourteen, even greater in- 
accuracies have heen found. In the two counties men- 
tioned, the clerk reports in the first, 713 and in the second 
362 too few 



PART III 



SaiiitaiT and Educational Conditions of Rural 

Schools 



1 — Lighting of school building's 

■■: — Only three one-room schools out oi' 110 visited and reported 
.on for lighting were lighted from one side only 

1) — Only two of these had snlifieient lighting area in proiDor- 
tion to floor area ; 1.5 

( — lis selion'i-ooiiis were liglitetl fnuii the Iwo opposite sides, 
eonipelling the eliihlren on one side of the schoolroom to 
work in a major liglit coming over the right shoulder 

d — In only 19 of these rooms was the ratio of lighting space to 
floor space adequate 

e — 14 schoolrooms were lighted from three sides, thus submit- 
ting the children to trying ci"Oss lights and in some cases 
compelling them to face the light 

f — One schoolroom was lighted from all four sides. Yet even 
in this room the ratio of lighting area to floor area was 
only 1.6, the permissible minimum being 1.5 

g — In many buildings the conditions were aggravated by im- 
proper curtaining of the windows. Nowhere were trans- 
lucent curtains (in addition to the regular opacjue or semi- 
i)|);n|iic i-ni-taius') which would soften the direct rays of 
liic soil whilr ,-iiliiiil1in<;- sufficient lijiht for scliool pur- 
po.ses 

h — The tinting and painting of most schoolrooms had evidently 
been done without any reference to the principles of good 
lighting 



Conditions and Needs of Eural, tScliooIs in Wisconsin. 27 

i — Even iu tlie most I'ecently constructed buildings the most 
common canons ol" correct lighting liave fi'eyuently been 
violated 

j — With hardly an exception the windows stopped short of the 
ceiling by 1 to 3 feet, leading to a loss of reflected light 
from the ceiling 

k — 111 all bill, M buiblings the wiiidnws wd'c foo widely separ- 
ated, (bus causing bai's of lialf liglil in the schdolrooius 

1 — In many rooms the ceilings and walls were dingy and painted 
a dark color 

m — No district had the following miuiinum essentials which 
every district ought to have : 

(1) Windows on one side or on two adjacent 

sides only with the major light coming 
over the left shoulders of the pupils 

(2) Windows pi'operly curtained with both 

opa(iue and translucent shades 

(3) Windows running pi-actically to the ceiling 

(4) Narrowest piers possible between windows — 

not over 15 inches 

(5) White ceilings 

(6) Walls tinted a soft light green or gray, 

restful to the eye and nen'es and having 
liigh reflecting quality 

2 — Heating- of school buildings 

a — 01' till' lOG scliculs ins|nM-liMl ,-is to beating conditions 

(1) 8 were heated liy furnace 

(2) 69 " " '• jacketed stoves 

(3) 29 " " " uu jacketed stoves 

b — As a riilr tlir si'lmol buildings were well heated, but par- 
tiriilai'ly on rold ihiys unjacketed stoves did not heat suf- 
ficiently the far corniMs of the room, while the temperature 
of tbi' ail- ill till' iiiiiiiriliatr' vicinity of the stove was tropi- 
cal 



28 Condilions and X(((l.s af h'liral ScIkuiIs in Wisconsin. 

c — On ;i<'coui)l, of flie general absence of tliennoiiielei's and lack 
ol' knowledge on the part of teachers, overheating is prev- 
alent in mild and ordiniiry weatluT in winter 

d — As a rule wooil was used in these stoves. it was 
usually kej)! under cover and jnovided in sufficient C[uan- 
tily, but t('n schools were found where the supply was only 
a ilay oi- two ahead of tlie deniaud and where it was liable 
to beciniie watei -soaked, In fiair schools great (liflii-ulty 
was experienced in keeping the tires going 

e — The large number of jacketed stoves is undoubtedly due to 
the $50 a year subvention for three years to schools put- 
ting in jacketed stoves and fulfilling certain other require- 
ments 

f — In some cases parents complained that children could not 
warm' their hands at the jacketed stoves. In one case the 
jacket was removed for this reason after the whole $150 
had been collected: but one month's trial of the old condi- 
tions was sufficient to nialce ever.vone willing to restore the 
jacket 

3 — Ventilation of school buildings 

a — Of lOG schools 8 were ventilated by the gravity system in 
connection with a hot air funiace; 69 had jacketed stove 
ventilation and 2!) cnuld be ventilated by the windows and 
deors onl\' 

b — 'J'hese figures indicate a condition better than was actually 
found, as in 11 schools the pure air intake was closed; 
in 8 the foul air damper was closed, and in 3 both were 
closed 

c — In 15 schools visited either the windows or storm windows 
could not be raised or were not provided with openings 

d — AVlieic the jacketed stove system had been installed and 
wJHTe the ventilation devices were rea'lly used the result 
w;;s excellent. There is, however, among both teachers 
and pupils a lack of knowledge about m'atters of ventila- 
tion which gives the appearance of indifference 



Conditions and Xccds of Jiural t^rhnoJs in Wisconsin. 2D 

e — ]Many teachers did uot undersUnul how tlie jacketed stove 
ventilation in tlieir schools woi-ked. Apparently, none 
had conceived the idea that the jacketed stove is an ex- 
cellent piece of practical physical apparatus which could 
l)c made of the s'i'c:dcst interest 1o [!Ui)ils. It was evi- 
dently a new experience to the pupils when they saw the 
paper, held below the foul air vent by the investigator, 
whirled up the flue to the outside air 

f — No sehool Avas found with all of the following minimum es- 
sentials of ventilation, i. e., where 

(1) The teacher understood the elementary principles of 

ventilation and knew liow good ventilation might 
be obtained in the srhcolroom and in their own 
homes 

(2) The boys and girls undcrslood the value of good ven- 

filation jiiid knew Iniw gond ventilation might he 
ol.lained in the sclioiili'oom and in their own homes 

(3) The parents of boys and girls attending school were 

alive to the importance of good ventilation 

(4) The sehool was furnished with a good furnace or 

jacketed stove ventilation 

(5) Such apparatus was used 1o liie best advantage 

(G) Windows wei'e o|icncd at rci'css, at noon and at 

periods of exercise 
(7) Windows were ])roviile(l with bnai-cis to dirc<;t the in-. 

(•(iiiiiiig ;iir upwai'ds so as (o protect children from 

direet draughts 

4 — Care of school buildings 

a — Of 131 schools inspected for this fact (he floors were scrubbed 

(1) once a year in 35 

(2) twice a year in 27 

(3) four times a year in 25 

(4) once a month in 30 

(5) never in 3 

(G) nobody knew when in 11 

b — The serubljing was done by 

(1) the janitor in 18 schools 

(2) hired help in 9-t 



30 ConcUtions and Needs of Riind Scliools in Wisconsin. 

(3) the teacher in 7 

(4) in 12 schools the iiiToriiuiliou wiis not available 

(• — Only 3U rural schools, where the floors were not treated 
with non-di-ying floor dressing, were sciiibbed once a 
nionlli — tlie ininiinum essential 

d — No iiirul school wliere the floors were treated with non- 
drying floor dressing received the minimum essential of 
two applications of the dressing each year, after thorough 
scrubbing with hot water containing alkali in solution 

e — The floors were swept 

(1) daily in 106 schools 

(2) three times a week in 14 schools 

(3) weekly in one school 

f — The sweeping was done by 

(1) the teacher in 83 schools 

(2) the janitor in 27 schools 

(3) hired help in 10 schools 

g — Only ten of 94 teachers questioned said that they received 
extra jiay for swcejiing their classrooms 

h — Only 8 floors out of 131 inspected were treated with non- 
drying oil 

i — A sweeping compound or treated sawdust was used in sweep- 
ing 27 buildings out of 131 inspected 

j — The dust conditions in most schools were bad and in some 
very bad. Matters wei-e made worse in some cases by the 
use of soft crayons on the blackboards 

k — Dusting was done 

(1) daily in 96 schools 

(2) three times a w^eek in 16 schools 

(3) weekly in 5 schools 

(4) never in one school 

(5) at times unknown in 13 

(6) with turkey duster in one school 

(7) with a treated yarn duster in one school 

(8) with cloths or untreated yam dusters in 4 schools 



Conditions and Needs of Tiund Sdiouls in Wisconsin. !31 



5 — Water-closets 

a — Out of 131 schools iDspeeted water-closets were scrubbed 

(1) in 66 schools once a year 

(2) in 13 schools twice a year 

(3) in 29 schools never 

(4) in 23 schools nobody knew when they were cleaned 

b — No jn-oof was discovered in a single ease that the closets 
were thoroughly cleaned out underneath at any time 

c — The water-closets were inspected 

(1) weekly in 85 schools 

(2) monthly in 22 schools 

(3) semi-annually in 3 schools 

(4) never in 8 schools 

(5) it was im'pnssililc to learn when the rest were in- 

spected 

d — The inspi'i'tiiin is ol'lcu |)erfunctory. Indescribable condi- 
tions were found in some cases where frequent inspection 
was alleged 

e — Out of 106 cases where measurements were made the dis- 
tance of the water-closets from the school buildings was 
(1 ) under 20 feet in 13 cases 

(2) from 20 to 30 feet in 23 cases 

(3) from 30 to 40 feet in 17 cases , 

(4) over 40 feet in 49 cases 

f — Out (if lt)6 cases where measurements were made the water- 
closets for boys and girls were 

(1) under the same roof in five cases 

(2) under 10 feet apart in 1 case '! 

( 3 ) from 10 to 20 feet apart in 5 cases 

(4) from 20 to 30 feet apart in 25 cases 

(5) over 30 feet apart in 65 cases 

g — Out of 121 inspected, water-closets were 

(1) screened in 89 cases 

(2) unscreened in 32 cases 



32 ComUHons and Needs of Rural ScJiools in Wisconsin. 

li — J 11 iiiiiny cases the screens were a mere pretense intended 
only to comply with the letter of the law; tliey were too 
low or nia<](' of lattice work with large spaces 

i — In some cases the county supiM-intendent admitted that he 
knew the law was being violated, witlioiit taking any ef- 
fective steps to remedy the condition 

j — No rural schools were found which conformed to all the fol- 
lowing minimum requirements, i. e., where 

(1) the water-elosets were scrubbed once a month 

(2) the water-elosets were cleaned oiit thoroughly under- 

neath twice a year 

(3) the water-elosets were inspected once a day by the 

teacher and once a week by a school officer 

(4) the water-elosets were 30 feet apart 

(5) the water-elosets were 30 feet from the school build- 

ing 

(6) the water-closets were thoroughly screened 

6 — Care of grounds 

a — The grounds are cleaned 

(1) annually in 102 schools 

(2) semi-annually in 8 schools 

(3) never in 8 schools 

(4) at times unknown in 13 schools 

b — In most cases the cleaning is very perfunctory, being some- 
times limited to cutting the grass before school opens in 
the fall 

7 — The common drinking cup 

a — Individual drinking cups were found in 84 schools 

1) — The common drinking cup was still used in 33 schools 

c — One county superintendent asserted that there was no school 
in his district where the connnon drinking cup was in 
use, but four such schools were found within ten miles of 
his offlee and all within his district. The teachers claimed 
to have notified the superintendent of the fact 



Conditions and Nctdt: of liiind Schools in W isronsin. So 

<1 — 01' the 84 scliools wliere tlie individual drinking cups were 

in use, only two provided dust proof cabinets for the 

<Mips. In tiie majority of cases the danger of infection 

was not decreased liy tlie use of tlie individual drinking 

• cup in jirtual prartice 

f — In only two rural srhools were found tlicse luininuim re- 
i|uireuients 
(] I individual tlrinking cups 
{'!] dust pro: f cabinets to contain them 

8 — Use of individual pencils 

a — In irK) sidiools childien either bought tlicii' own peni'ils or 
were supplied with imlividual pencils 

]i — Pcui-ils were used iudisi-i'iminateU' in 14 sdiools 



9 — Use of slates 

a — Out of Kil rural si-hcols inspcctcii the s'ati- and slate pencil 
arc still in use in 4!i 

'I — In these sehools sanitary cinditions in the use of the slate 
^\■ere not maintained 



10 — Age of school buildings 

■-: — 14 liuihlings were from ] lo ]() years old 

':< — 2U buildings were from !•• to 'I'l years old 

e — 2-") buildings were from 10 to 2") years old and over 

d — 24 buildings were very old. age unknown 

e — 25 bui'dings wei'e of unknown age 

f — In southeiMi counties old school buildirigs. ^vlii.'h have paid 
their way and might well be replaced by modern struct- 
Tires. are luunerous 



34 Conditions and .Wids of Rural Schools in Wisconsin, 

11 — Floor area of school buildings 

a — Xo sclioolrooin had a tloor area of less than 230 square feet 

b — 33 schooli-ooms had a floor area from 250 to 500 square 
feet 

c — 51 Sflioolrooiiis liad a floor area from 500 to 750 square 

feet 

i\ — 22 schoolrooms liad a floor area of more than 750 square feet 
or over 

e — Every rural si-hool visited had suffioieut floor spaee for the 
pupils attending 

12 — Height of ceilings 

a — The eeilings of 15 buildings were found to be less than & 
feet high 

b — The eeilings of 19 Imildings were found to be between 9 and 

10 feet high 

e — The eeilings of 13 buildings were found to be from 10 to 

11 feet high 

d — The ceilings of 55 buildings were 11 feet and over 

e — Accepting 11 feet as the minimum permissible schoolroom 
height of a ceiling, 55 Wisconsin schoolrooms out of 102 
measured fell below the standard 

13 — Vestibules of school building-s 

a — Out of 80 schools visited and reported on for these facts 

(1) 43 schools had good vestibules 

(2) 24 schools had poor vestibules 

(3) 13 schools had no vestibules whatever 

« 

b — Over one-third of the schools had no proper provision for 
entries, so that in cold weather pupils at their seats were 
flooded with cold air whenever a pupil arrived late, and 
often when the doors were closed, cold currents swept 



Conditions and Xctds of Rand S<:hools in Wi.-iconnn. So 

along the floor r'rom the rraeks under the doors, chilling 
the feet of all the pupils for hours at a time 

14 — Closets in school buildings 

a — Of 100 schools inspected as to closet accommodation 65 had 
no closets whatever 

b — This resulted in many cases in giving a slovenly appearance 
to the entry or corridor and the schoolroom itself owing 
to lack of a proper pla.-e to store apparatus and supplies 
while not in use 

15 — Style of school architecture 

a — The ordinary chalk l?ox style of sc-hool architecture prevails 

I) — Except in rare cases where the building is kept well painted 
and suiTounded by shade trees, rural school bull: . e 

a very bare, mean and unattractive appearance 

e — This general disregard of aesthetic consideration in original 
construction finds its counterpart in the neglected condi- 
tion of school grounds and buildings, and in the lack of 
pictures and der-orations within the buildings. This con- 
stitutes an invitation to children to disfigure school walls, 
outbuildings and fences. — an invitation which is generally 
accepted 

16 — Size of school grounds 

a — <)f 125 school grounds inspected and measured 

li 18 are over 1 acre in area. 

(2) 33 are 1 acre in area 

'3i 8 are ^'i aci-e in area 

(4 1 1 is "3 acre in area 

i'5) 40 are i.o acre in area 

(6) 3 are '^■^ acre in area 

(7 I 11 are I4 acre in area 

(81 11 are le.ss than '4 af'-"^ in area 



36 Conditions and .WuU of L'ural Schools in Wisconsin. 

■^ — Of 125 seliools inspeetc'd as many as 11 had grounds so 
small that uot over oue-sixth of an acre was available for 
the play of both sexes, rendering educational play practi- 
cally impossible 

c — In not one case were the srliool grounds used on Saturday 
f. afternoons as a jihiy eenti-r for the youths of the com- 

m'nnily who had iiiiislu'd school 

d — Only one school had any |ihiygi-ound apparatus whatever 

e — Not one rural schcol was I'ouiul with a field large enough for 
a regulation baseball diamond where the youths of the 
the community could play on Saturday afternoons and 
where the adults of the community could gather to watch 
the struggle of opposing teams 

17 — Natural suitability of school sites 

a — Of 125 school sites examined 

(1) 62 were suitable 

(2) 18 were fair 

(3) 45 were poor 

b — 62 rural schools out of 125 icportecl on were situated 

(1) On at least a slight elevation 

(2) "Where the soil would quickly absorb moisture 

(3) Where it could be conveniently reached over good 

I'oads from all parts of the district 

(4) Where extra si^ace eould be obtained for playground 

purposes 

e — Of 103 school grounds inspected for these facts 

(1) 51 had clay soil 

(2) 8 had clay loam soil 

(3) 8 had loam scil 

(4) 9 had sandy loam soil 

(5) 17 were sandy or gravelly 

(6) 10 had a black loam soil 

18— Ornamentation of grounds 

a — Of 129 school grounds reported on only 25 were in any way 

improved 
b— Of 129 Rchools visited only one had a school garden 



Conditions and .V((</.s id Unnil Srhmds in Wisconsin. 37 



19 — Blackboards 

a — Of 105 sfhooLs iiispeeted for these fai'ts tliorc were 

(1) Wood blackboauls iinly. in 15 

(2) ('oinposition blarklioards oiil\', in IG 

(3) Slate .blackboards only, in 63 

(4) Wood and composition lilaekboards, in 5 

(5) Wood and slate lplackb'>ards, in 3 

(6) Plaster blai-kfoards, in 3 

b — Of 102 sehools in whii-h nieasnreincuts wei'e made the black- 
boards had an area of 

(1) Under 30 scjuare feet in 4 

(2) From 30 to 40 square feet in 3 

(3) From 40 to 60 sqnare feet in 15 

(4) From 60 to 80 sqnare feet in 32 

(5) From SO to ]00 s.|uare fi'et in 22 
(G) From 100 to 120 s(|nare feet in 14 

(7) Over 120 sqnare feet in 12 

e — Of 105 classrooms inspected for these fads lilacklioards were 
fonnd 

(1) In front only in 25 

(2) In front and on one side in IS 

(3) In front and on tw-o sides in 35 

(4) In other eomljinalions in 27 

d — Ont of 105 S(diools inspected for tliose facts only 20 provided 
some blackboards situated nut over 30 inches from the 
floor, so as to provide for tlie use of the boards by small 
cldldren 

e — Out of 102 schools inspei'ted for these facts the blackboards 
were used by pupils and teachers 
(1 ) Freely in 56 
(21 Infrequently in 16 
(3) To a fair degree in 30 

f — Of 104 schools insjiected for these facts 

(1) 80 used eoiiunon soft crayon 

(2) 24 used d list less clialk 



38 Condiiions and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

g — Of 105 schools iuspet-ted for these facts 

(1) 16 were provided with all felt erasers 

(2) 89 were provided with wood and felt erasers 

20— Seating 

a — 111 the 131 schools from whicli data was obtained there were 
4265 sittings of which 

(1) 94 were adjustable 

(2) 4171 were noiiadjustable 

b— Of these 131 schools 

(1) Seats of assorted sizes were found in 123 

(2) Seats of one size only were found in 8 

c — The type of seating in which the seat of the desk in front 
is attached to the desk behind is in general use 

d — The practice of placing small sittings and large sittings in 
the same row is practically univereal 

€ — This results in a high seat going with a low desk, or a low 
seat with a high desk, a condition infinitely worse than 
the use of nonadjustable seats 

f — In half the schools visited double seats and desks only were 
found 

g — In one case such desks had been in use for 30 years 

21— Libraries 

a — Of 106 schools whose libraries were examined 

(1) 7 had in their libraries less than 50 volumes 

(2) 10 had in their libraries from 50 to 75 volumes 

(3) 7 had in their libraries from 75 to 100 volumes 

(4) 27 had in their libraries from 100 to 150 volumes 

(5) 47 had in their libraries over 150 volumes 

(6) 8 were not estimated 

b — During the past year there were added to the libraries in 
106 schools from w^hieh figures were obtained 
(1) Less than 5 books in each of 17 schools 



tConditions and Xccds of h'liriil ScIkkiIs in Wisconsin. 39 

(2) From 5 to 10 books in each of 33 schools 

(3) Fi'om 10 to 15 books in each of 15 schools 

(4) Over 15 books in each of 21 schools 

(5) Noue in each of 20 schools 

•c— Out of these 106 schools 

(1) International dictionaries were found iu 66 schools 

(2) (ieneral encyclopedias were found in 104 schools 

(3) Other reference books were found in 24 schools 

(4) No reference books were found iu 13 schools 

■d — Owiiicj to the law that all l)ooks must be selected from a list 
authorized In- the state authorities, the libraries were 
partii-Mihirly strong in the character uf their selections 

•e — One library was kept in a soaji box. one was piled on the 
tloor: 6 lii)rarics were otherwise improperly cared for 

22 — Manual training and domestic economy 

Not one iTJi-al school of the 131 visited had any equipment for 
manual traiiiint;' or a si'wino' machine. 



23 — Teachers' records of visits of supervisors 

?. — Out of the 131 seiiools visited 11 kept no records of the visits 
of supervising officers ■ 

b — In 76 sehnols tlieri' were no transfer cards foi' jiuiiils leaving 
the district 

c — In 106 schools no records were kept of the causes of absence 
of pupils 

d — In 1111 schools no records were ke[)t of the causes of tardiness 

e — In only 59 schools were monthly reports made to the count.V 
superintendent 

L — Iu only 54 schools were teriii reports made to the county 
superintendent 



40 Conditions and Xc(ds <if Txnrcd Scliooh in Wisconsin. 

g — Not oue rural scliool teacher out of the 131 visited kept re: 
ords and made reports adequate in all respects, i. e., 

(1) Kept an accurate record of the causes and amount 

of absences 

(2) Kept an accurate record of the causes and amount 

of tardiness 

(3) Sent a transfer card giving information as to scholar- 

ship, attendance, etc. to the new school of every 
pupil leaving the district, and obtained where pos- 
sible a similar card for every pupil moving into 
the district 

(4) Kept an accurate recoixl of the date and length of 

visits of supervising officers 

(5) JIade monthly and terminal reports to the county 

superintendent on attendance and on condition 
of the school in general 

24 — Amount of supervision 

a — Out of the 131 schools 

(1) 17 were not visited during the year liy either slate 

inspector or county superintendent 

(2) 66 were visited once by the county superintendent 

(3) 30 were visited twice by the county superintendent 

(4) 8 were visited liy the state school inspector 
f;j) from 18 the information was not available 

I — In one school the records show that there had been no visit 
by the county superintendent in six years. The teacher 
who had served in this school for two years stated that 
during her incumbency the county superintendent had 
not visited the school. Not a pupil had ever seen the 
cnnnty superintendent in the school. In the same county, 
out of ten schools inspected, only two had been visited 
by the county superintendent during the sclio il year 

25 — Certification of teachers 

a — Of 129 teachers visited and reported on 

(1) 5 had life certificates 

(2) 19 liad first grade certificates 

(3) 50 second grade certificates 

(4) 55 third grade certificates 



Condilions and Xccds of Bund Sili"i'l< in ^Vi^'■,,)l<ln. 41 

26 — Lenglh of service in present school 

a — Of 128 teacliers visited and reported on 

(1) 56 bad taught in their present school less than 1 

year 

(2) 3!) had taught one year 
(S) 20 had taught two years 

(4) 9 had taught three years 

(5) 4 had taught more than 4 years 

27 — Total length of teaching service 

a — Of 115 teachers visited and rei)orted on 

(1) 31 had taught in all less than one year 

(2) 19 had taught in all from 1 to 2 years 

(3) 19 had taught in all 2 to 3 years 

(4) 12 had taught in all from 3 to 4 years 

(5) -5 had taught in all from 4 to 5 years 

(6) 29 had taught in all 5 years or more 

28 — Leng-th of present contracts 

a — (>f 130 teachers visited and reixu'ted on 

(1) 1 had contracted for less than a year 

(2) 12() had contracted for one year 

(3) 1 had contracted for two years 

(4) 2 had conlracted for more than two years 

29 — Salaries 

a — Of 73 teachers visited and reported on 

n * 2 were paid less than ^'M a month 

(2) IS were paid between $30 and $35 

(3) 20 were jiaid between $35 and $40 

(4) 18 were paid between $40 and $45 
.(5) 12 were paid between $45 and $50 

(6) 3 were paid between $50 and $60 

(7) were paid over $60 

1i — Over 50% of the teachers visited received less than $40 per 
month, janitor vork included in most instances 



42- , Condition.'! anil Xcals nf Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

30 — Cost of teachers" board 

a — Of 123 teachers visited aud re{)orted on 

(1) 20 paid less than $2.50 per week 

(2) 50 paid between $2.50 and $3.00 a week 

(3) 22 paid between $3.00 and $3.50 a week 

(4) 11 paid $3.50 or over a week 

(5) 20 did not state price of board 

b — Of 123 teachers visited aud reported on 

(1) 11 boarded at home outside the school district 

(2) 15 boarded at hoine witliin the school district 

(3) 95 boarded with others within the school district 

(4) 2 boarded with others outside the school district 

c — In all 13 teachers boarded out.side the district in which they 
taualit. and of the 95 who boarded within the district, but 
not at home, the majorit.y in thickly settled communities 
went home for the week end 

31 — Distance of teachers' boarding places from school 

a — Of 111 teachers visited and reported on 

(1) 73 lived l-^ mile from school or less 

(2) 38 lived more than lo mile from school 

32 — The teachers' study rooms 

a — Of 117 teachers visited and reported on 

(1) 98 were provided with rooms warmed sufficiently to 

be used for study pui-poses 

(2) 19 had no place where they could study beside the 

common living room 

33 — The attitude of teachers toward country life 

a — ^As sliown in scliool work was not sympathetic in 32 cases 

h — As shown in conversation with the investigator was not svth- 
pathetic in 29 cases 



Conditions ami Xicds nj h'unil .S'r/(r<o/,s in Wisconsin. 43 

34 — Part taken by teachers in community life 

a — Of 131 rural teaehei's visited So took do part whatever in the 
community life, i. e.. did not live with the community, 
althousi'h they niio-ht live in it 

35 — The personal equation of the teacher 

a — Slarking on a standard whieh gave the teacher the benefit of 
eveiy doubt, iriving credit for every indication of merit, 
and making' all due allowance for the shortness of the 
inspections, out of 118 teachers studied for this purpose 

(1) ;n were found unsatisfactory in neatness 

(2) 4R were found lacking- in vivacity 

(3) 24 were found pliysically unfit 

(4) 31 had poor address 

(5) 26 showed an undesirable attitude toward visitors 

(6) 47 showed an undesirable altitude toward child life 

(7) .37 showed weakness in discipline 

(8) 57 sliowed a lack of ability to instruct 

36 — The rural school as a social center 

a — Out of 131 school i-ooms inspected 

(1) G were used for joint meetings of parents and 

teachers 

(2) were used for motliers' meetings 

(3) 8 were tised for meetings of debating societies 

(4) 31 were used for occasional social gatherings 

(5) 8 were used for farmers' meetings 

37 — Outside co-operation with school authorities 

a — In but 2 of the 131 schools visited was there any evidence 
whatever of cooperation of school patrons witli the school 
authorities in bringing about better conditions as to 

(1) Improved equiiunent 

(2) Improvement of grounds 

(3) Decoration of scliool building 

(4) Improved sanitary conditions 



44 Conditions and Nenh of Bund Schools in Wisconsin. 

h — Several school j)atnius when asked why they did not make an 
effort to improve couditious, said "it is up to the school 
hoard " 

c — One lady in response to a letter of inquiry as to the amoimt 
of outside cooi)eration with the local school boards, wrote 
that it was the business of the school board to run the 
schools and for her part she did not propose to meddle 
with their business 



38 — Snap shots 

-This is a school situated in one of the wealthiest fanning com- 
munities in Wisconsin. Farm lands are rated at $150 
to $200 per acre, until a buyer desires to buy, and then 
he is likely to learn that he cannot buy the farms at all. 
Every farm is well improved ; not only are there stone 
silos, spacious bams and other commodious farm building 
but even the farmhouses are well built and appear to be 
most comfortable homes. The school ground was small 
— 25 yards by 24 yards — uneven and unkept. The out- 
house was unscreened. A board partition only separated 
the boj's' closet from that of the girls'. The door on the 
boys' side was hanging on one hinge. The interior was 
indescribably filthy and unfit for iise. The school building 
was a mere shack built 60 years ago, constructed of 
matched lumber Avithout any siding. It was painted dark 
green. The approach and steps were dilapidated and in 
poor repair. The corridor was partly filled wath soft 
coal; the dust had spread over the whole floor and was 
being tracked into school. Entering the schoolroom, the 
investigator found conditions within even worse than those 
on the outside already described. The floor was littered; 
coal dust and pieces of coal were scattered around the 
old stove, the teacher's desk was in disorder; the room 
was much overheated ; doors and windows were shut tight 
to exclude the cnld and the air was so vitiated as to be 
sickening. The lighting was unusuall.v poor. The four 
small windows, two on the east side and two on the west, 
were dirty and half covered by shades ; the walls and ceil- 
ing were dark : tlie ratio of ^^^ndow area to floor area was 



Conditloii>: and Nods of Rnnil Srliooh in Wisrunsin. 4.j 

1-17. The rhiklreii -weie dull, listless and drowsy. The 
teacher wa.s simply helpless. Her .salary wa.s $28 a month, 
the lowest paid any rural seliool teacher visited during the 
investigation. I'hysically .she was u)ilit to teach school. On 
aceonnt of her poor health, her inexperience, her lack of 
training, the jdiysical conditions in which she was work- 
ing, she was incompetent and hopeless'y weak. Eleven 
children were enrolled, two had withdrawn, leaving nine 
pupils. The i)rogram provided for -JT r(>eitations. The 
school day <'onsists of: G hours— 1* to 12 A. il. and 1 to -i 
P. ]M. Thii'ty minutes are used up for recess and 15 
miunles tor opening exercises, leaving 5 hours, 15 minutes 
for the :37 rei-itations or S 1 '5 minutes per recitation. De- 
ducting three minutes for calling and dismissing elas.ses, 
and taking into aeconut the usual interruption by pupils 
at seats leaves less than 5 minutes per recitation. During 
the recitations heard, the children showed no interest 
whatever and so far as tlie investigator was able to .indge 
the time wa.s ahsolutely wasle<l. The teacher used most 
of it in scolding and nagging the children, to which fortu- 
nately they had become accustomed and so eared but lit- 
tle, if at all 

-In the northei-n i)art of the state in the heart of the "pine 
country" was found a brick school building built less than 
two years ago. It was impossible to find out the actual 
cost. The estimated co.st given by the directors, w\as "over 
$2,000." This should have insured a model Imilding. bnt 
these faulty conditions were found : 

(1) The fuiiiace in the basement was not effective 

(2) The shaft for carrying off the foul air was too small 
{?,) The arrangement of the schoolroom made it impos- 
sible to place seats so as to insure proper lighting. 
The actual arrangement placed the major light in 
the rear of the pupils wdiile they were forced to 
face the light from two windows one in each cor- 
ner 

(4) In the arrangement of corridors and closets, nnich 

space was wasted 

(5) In clearing the site every shrub and tree was cut 

down, although some splendid pines were originally 



46 ConcUlions and Xecds of Eitral Schools in Wisconsin. ' 

on the site aud could have been left standing. This 
situiilion is quite typical. Because of lack of su- 
pervision inauy defects of school architecture re- 
sult. School hoards iu the construction of school 
buildings almost invariably strip a school site of 
trees, leaving tlie grounds desolate and barren 

e — In a school district located in ea.stern Wisconsin the school 
liuilding was found in poor repair. Years ago, when the 
sohoolhouse was constructed, an unusually large opening 
was left for a door. The hinges supplied proved too light 
to properly swing the door. The casings were injured in 
the numerous efforts to remedy the defect, and much of 
the time it was imjiossible to keep the door closed. At- 
tempts have been made at the annual school meetings to 
provide double doors or to appropriate a sum sufficient to 
close up a part of the door space, so as to require a lighter 
door. This was one of the chief issues before the annual 
meeting for two years aud iu May, 1912, the factions were 
preparing to continue the fight. The leaders of tlie fac- 
tions were political opponents. Such examples of petty 
aud personal differences determining matters of vital 
school importance may be found some time or other in 
eveiy district 

d — One of the best schools seen was in charge of a young girl, 
18 years old. just graduated from a nearby high school. 
The pupils were alert, responsive and busily occupied. 
The teacher was obtaining fine results in the usual school 
subjects. The investigator incjuired as to her plans for 
introducing agriculture, manual training' and the do- 
inestic arts as a part of her work. She replied that she 
did not know wliat was meant. After she had been told 
of the plans, methods aud results gained by other teachers 
in teaching these subjects, after she had been shown how 
the school could lie made the social center of the com- 
munity, after she realized the splendid possibilities of 
creating a strong school spirit in the district by means 
of parents' organizations, she said to the investigator, "I 
shall certainly try to do these things; I only wish I had 
known about it earlier in the term." This teacher was 



'Condiliotis aiul \((il.s of h'laiil Scluinls hi Wiscunsiii. 47 

an lunisually eajtable young woman, with a personality 
whieli enables her to organize and make effective any work 
she determines is needed in her school district. She is a 
t\pe teacher found in every eounty visited, and while 
such teachers are in the minority they are the ones who 
will heconie <|uii'kly rft'ei-tive in eveiy forwai'd step to 
school betterment 

e — la another school a young woman who had taught for five 
years was found dciug rather ordinary school work. The 
teaciiei- gave evidence of fine power and in some of the 
work she showed great skill in her method of presentation, 
in i-onveisation with her tiic investigate- incpiircd why 
she was not making more of her opjiortunity as a teaelier, 
why she did nut take greater interest in her school work, 
why she did not make the school a vital factor in com- 
munity life by organizing the activities in which the 
patron.-i of the school would be greatly interested, why 
she did not reduce the work in arithmetic, geography, 
etc. to terms intelligible Ui the children. This teacher 
was sufficiently intelligent and "well I'oad so that she un- 
derstootl what was meant; she realized the importance and 
the need of the w<irk suggested. Her reply, however, was 
startling — ^"What difference would it niake if 1 did do 
these tilings?" Who cares anyhow?" Asked whether the 
eounty superintendent would not greatly appreciate such 
Work, she replied that he "had not beeu around for over 
two years." AYhen it was suggested that such w'ork would 
lie n]>])reeiated by tlie people of the district she replied 
that the people did not care so long- as the children were 
taugiit the comm'on branches iii the usual way. "When 
finally the appeal was made that as a teacher with her 
natural ability she owed it to herself to do the work sug- 
gested, she replied, with a twinkle in her eye, that she did 
not expect to teach much longer 

I — Tn another school a young woman educated in the country, 
■ was in charge of a school enrolling ten children, most of 
whom were in the first, second and third reader grades. 
This was the teacher's first teaching experience. In con- 
versation with the investigator, she appeared greatly 
interested in her work and showed a beautiful spirit. lu 



48 (Jondiiious and Xccds of h'xral Scltvi)h in Wisconsin. 

her teaL-hing she was helpless. In teaching reading to a 
group of fuur children all s^he could do was to point to 
words and tell them what they were. The children had 
been in school for live months, but apijareutly thej* had 
accomplished almost nothing except to memorize several 
pages of the primer. They did not know words isolated 
from the sentences they had memorized. When the teach- 
er "s attention was first called to this fact she could not 
believe it to be true. When, however, she made the test 
ajid satisfied herself that the children really could not 
read, slie was greatly disap])ointcd and uuich grieved — 
her own words were — '■And i thought these children were 
doing so well." In teaching arithmetic she did much 
better, but on the whole she was entirely lacking in ef- 
fective teaching methods. She was a bright girl, anxious 
and willing, but in lier met hods she was limited to w'hat 
she remembered of the metliods used by her own teachers 
in the rural schools. She told the investigator that the 
county superintendent had visited her about a month 
previous and iiad made no criticism or suggestion except 
to explain Imw to fill out the blank tVii- reporting truancy. 
She conii)laiued tliat there was no way by which she could 
inipi'ove herself in feaclnng as siu^ lacked funds to enable 
her to alfeiid a county training or noi'mal scln ol 

g — In one district three public-spii ited citizens decided tliat 
sduicthing had to lie done to improve th(>ir old tundiledown 
building and to impi'ove the character of the instruction 
in tlieir school. As a result the brard added twenty feet 
to the fi-ont of the building making an euli-yway and cor- 
I'idor '.) feet wide by 20 feet long and increasing the floor 
ai'ea (jf the classroom by one-third. The building was 
thoroughly jiainted on the outside and well tinted on the 
inside. A jacketed stove and ventilation system was in- 
stalled. A wood box was constructed so that wood could 
lie ])ut in from the entry and taken out from' the school 
room, thus reducing to a minimum the dirt, noise and 
criufusion which usually ac-companies the daily replen- 
ishing of tlie wood supply. Tight covers were provided 
for the wood box both in the entryway and in the school- 
room. A dust proof cabinet for individual drinking cups 



Conditions and X(<(ls nf Hindi Sclnmls in. M'iaconsin. i'.) 

was built into the eiitryway and a larger water crock was 
provided. A lioiiieniade but capacious sand table with 
beautiful clean liuildiug sand «as pi'o\ided. An organ 
was added to the eiiuipnu''Ut as well as a good bookcase. 
Tlie closets were well screened and the school yard cleaned 
up and partially graded. Good new hard pine floors were 
put in. Then the beard hired a Icacher of two years' 
practical experience who had taken all but 20 weeks of the 
elementary normal school course. They paid her $50 a 
month, a considerable increase over any salary previously 
paid, in the district. The teacher was of good presence, 
bright, energetic and prepossessing. Tlie children were 
infected by the god sjurit of the teac-Iier. Everyone had 
.something to do and was doing it with a will.- The teacher 
is planning for a school garden in the spring and mothers' 
meetings are under consideration. The class periods were 
short, but much longer than usual, oidy one 'being as 
short as ten minutes and two being as long as twent.v 
minutes. The back of the r<iom was tlecorated by a 
beautiful lai'ge Auun'ican flag ]iuri-haseil with money ob- 
tained ]).v the sale of pins by tlu' chihlren. A box social 
was soon to be held to purchase recitation l)enches. "What- 
ever may be justly said concerning the parsimony of a 
board which will not furnish sucli things irom the tax 
levy, it certaiidy spoke well for the pulilic spirit of both 
teachers and pupils that they were determined to have 
these things anywa,v 

h — "Within a lialf day's drive from this sriiool the investigator 
fdiuid a, building not so old liut in n terribl.v dilapidated 
condition. 'J'he buys had kicked ho'es through the clap- 
boards and boarding. The school boai'd, having been 
warned by the county superintendent that something must 
be d(uie if lliey wished tii avoid cdndenuial ion proceedings, 
replaced the old one-pane window on one side of the build- 
ing by four-pane windows. The furniture and equip- 
ment consist(>(l of four ma])S, a teacher's desk, a teacher's 
cluur. a clock, an ancient stove a)id alleged seats for twenty 
children. The teacher used the double negative in the 
most artistic and unconscious wa.v. "When asked if the 
school board would not supt'ly her with a sweeping com- 



50 Cond/itions and Si(.ds of Rural HckwAs in Wiscon^iin. 

pound, she said that "they never got me nothing." There 
was no ventilation save by the windows. The large boy 
who kept the tire going did not bend his back before de- 
positing the wood on the floor, to the great danger of the 
building. When remonstrated with, he "sassed" the 
teacher. The teacher was not provided w'ith desk copies 
of the textbooks. In fact it was impossible to make a 
list of the textbooks as seemingly there Avere as many 
different kinds of books as there were pupils. All the 
books were evidently heirlooms. The outbuildings were 
Avell screened. Within a stone's thi'OAv of this building is 
a very fine farm with remarkablj- fine farm' buildings. It 
is commonly reported that the building for the hogs cost 
$2,000. The school building might be worth $100. It is 
safe to say that more money is spent in this district on 
making hogpens comfortable for their occ-upants than en 
school buildings — the return on hogs being nlore immedi- 
ate than on children 

i — One school inspected had a jacketed stove, good ventilation, 
excellent hard pine floors, Avell shellacked, a water crock 
and a fair equipment of apparatus. But the room was 
dirty, the children listless and the teacher apathetic. The 
teacher chewed gum steadily during the two hours the 
investigator was in the room. She was uncultivated in 
speech and coarse in appearance. There was a .good 
plant wasted because the board had no appreciation of 
what a teacher should be and do. An interesting side- 
light on the situation is shed by the fact that the teacher 
was in her fourth year of service in the same school at 
a salary of $35 per month 

39 — Course of study 

a — The IManual of the Elementary Course of Study, i.ssued by 
the .state department of public instruction, indicates 
what portions of the various school subjects should be 
taught in the different grades or forms. To the inexperi- 
enced teacher the manual is of the greatest value. ]\Iany 
teachers, however, pay no attention to the manual, pre- 
ferring to follow the order of the textbook in use. This 



Conditions and Xt^ds of Rural Hchooh in Wisconsin. 51 

is most unfoiluuate as the mauiial has attempted to adapt 
school work to rural school needs and in a measure has 
succeeded. Tlie l)cnetit which might come from such 
study of the manual by the teacher as would result in 
actually guiding her in lier teaching is lost as a result of 
weak and inefficient supervision by the county superin- 
tendent 
il ' In one school the teaching of primary reading was 
unusually ineffective. The investigator called the 
teacher's attention to the suggestions on the teach- 
ing nf reading on pages 21 to 3.3 of the manual, 
yiie admitted that she had not read them. All 
the children had the habit of following words with 
the finger as they "bit them oft"" one at a time. 
When a pupil was unable to name the word he 
turned the bcok toward the teacher, the finger 
just undci' the word, and she would pronounce it 
for him. The investigator in his conversation with 
the teacher called her attention to jiaragraph 27, 
page 35 of the manual which is as follows: 
"Tlie pointing habit" 

'The pupil shoidd not be allowed to point to 
the words as he reads. He should do as 
the method descril.ied will start him in do- 
ing: Ihat is. take in tlie sentence at a 
glance and then give the thought. Teach- 
ers are sometimes seen pointing to the words 
on the blaeklioard one after the other, and 
having the child call them in succession, 
also allowing pupils to do the same with 
finger or pointer. AVhile the child may 
use his finger to guide his eye while he is 
studying the sentence to get the thought, 
when the time for oral reading comes, he 
is to give thought smoothly and naturally 
and not merel.v call the words separately. 
This does not appl.v to pointing in cirill 
exercises npon lists of words' 
The teacher admitted she had paid no attention 
to these and other suggestions 



•:i2 Conditions and Nads of Rural Schools in Wisconsin: 

(2) In auotlier school a group of boys and girls were 
attempting to solve some very difficult miscel- 
laneous problems in the application of percentage. 
The children floundered hopelessly in their at- 
tempt to solve them'. Thej' eould not do so since 
they did not understand the terms, "bond", 
"above par", "true discount", etc., used m the 
j)robleii]s. The teacher in lier attempts to explain 
the problems to the children showed that she her- 
self wa.s not at all clear as to their meaning. 
The investigator called the teacher's attention to 
the outline and suggestions on the teaching of 
arithmetic on pages 169-180 of the manual. She 
had read these and could give no reason for not 
following the suggestions made 

40 — The program of recitations and study 

a — The short recitation period 

(1) An analysis of thirty-one programs representing 
schools in eight widely separated counties shows 
the average length of the recitation period to he 
thirteen minutes. Allowing for the time used in 
calling and dismissing classes, and the time taken 
up by interruptions of the recitations by the 
pupils at their seats, the actual time taken for the 
recitation is less than ten minutes. In so short 
a period effective class teaching is impossible 

b — Method of questioning 

(1) Another factor seriously affecting the recitation is 
the method of questioning used by the teacher in 
the conduct of the recitation. Leading questions 
prevail. If at first the pupil is unable to give the 
answer the question is modified and repeated, the 
answer sought being made more and more appar- 
ent. These replies consist of single words, some- 
times phrases. Rarely are they well rounded sen- 
tences. Not in a single instance did the investigator 
hear a topical recitation such as a first-class teach- 
er teaches pupils to make. It was not uneom- 



^Conditions and'Xf,ds of II urn I Si-lmuU in Wisajn&in. 53 

mou fox' pupils to answer with a rising inflection 
of the voice indicating tlie pupils' doubt as to 
the correctness of their answers. By this method 
teachers use up most of the time in asking ques- 
tions, calling for one word replies. The facts thus 
brought out are isolated. Rarely do teachers even 
attempt to establish the lieariugs and relations of 
these external and detailed facts to the subject 
■of which tliey are a part. J\Iiich less do they 
use them to exidain or light up everyday life and 
•its problems as real teacliing should do 

fa) In a small seliool, nine pupils were present 
I 11 llie day of the visit. The program of 
roeitalions was divided into 37 recita- 
ti< n periods, not counting two fifteen min- 
ute recess periods and two ten minute 
periods for opening exerci.=es. The teach- 
er was inexperienced, immature and with- 
out professidiial training. She was earn- 
est and eager to do well, but she simply 
did not know how to manage her school. 
Up to the time of the visit, the county 
superintendent had not inspected her 
school. The class consisted of a boy and 
a girl apparently about fi iirteen years of 
age. The lesson was on ' ' The Causes of the 
American Revolution". The time for 
the recitation 

Teaeher: -Toliii, you may tell us the 

causes of the Revolutionary War 
John : f Looks glum and hangs his head) 
Teacher: Don't you know the causes 

of the Revolutionary "War? 
Jolin: (Shakes liis head but makes no 

reply) 
At this point teacher gi es to back part 
of room to tell a youngster the word 
in his reading lesson whii-h he had 
iwinted to and held up 
Teacher: Can't you tell about the 
Boston Tea Party? 



54 Conditions and Needs of liurcd Schools in Wisconsin. 

John: (Brightens up) Yes 

Teacher: Tell it 

John: They dumped the tea into the- 
ocean 

Teacher: Yes, but why did they do it 

John: (Says nothing. At this point 
several children in the back part of ' 
the room' became noisy. A boy had 
been annoying some of the other chil- 
dren by throwing particles of snow 
brought in from out-of-doors. This 
led to trouble. The teacher much 
annoyed scolded the children round- 

ly) 

Teacher: Anna, you may tell us, John 
doesn't know his lesson 

Anna: (Looks at the floor, apparently 
much embarassed and remains silent) 

Teacher: (The teacher was getting nerv- 
ous, and ratlier sharply) Well, they 
didn't want to pay taxes did they? 

John and Anna: (Both assented that 
"they" did not) 

Teaclier : Then what happened 

John: They had a war, didn't they? 

Teacher: Yes, they did. For the next 

lesson you may take to page 

You must study your lesson better 
for tomorrow. You didn't do very 
well to-day 

(2) Very few teachers were found so weak and helpless 

as this teacher. But the same method was I'epeat- 
edly used by the poorer teachers. Even the best 
teachers at times resorted to leading questions 

(3) It is a notable fact that the graduates of the county 

training schools and of the New Richmond High 
School Teacliers Training Department showed 
much finer teaching ability than those who had 
not had tliis professional training. Teaching ef- 
ficiency in counties having training schools is 
very much higher than in other counties 



Conditions and Nads of Eural Schools in Wisconsin. 55 

c — Pupils do not learn how to study 

(1) In the assignment of the lesson teachers fail to point 
out definitely and clearly the essentials to be 
sought by the pupil in the preparation of his 
lesson 
(2j During a recitation in a school visited the teacher 
became impatient because the pupils did not re- 
cite well. She was especially severe in scolding 
one Iioy. He become resentful and retorted — 
"Well I went over it three times". "To go 
over" a lesson three times seemed to be the ac- 
cepted standard of preparation in that school. 
The teacher, however, informed him that he must 
"go over it" again 

d Tejiclicrs fiiil to iirovide profitable empbiyment to children 

when they are not reciting 
(1) In schools where skillful teachers were in charge 
pupils were busy and tending strictly to busi- 
ness. They had work to do and were interested 
in doing it. This condition, however, prevailed 
in not more than 30 schools out of 131 visited. 
In the remaining schools there was a spirit of in- 
difference and lassitude. Sometimes this was the 
result of overheating and lack of ventilation. The 
chief cause, however, was that pupils appeared 
to have nothing worth while to do. This is es- 
pecially true of the younger children. Frequently 
they were busied in arranging grains of com, 
playing with toothpicks, matches, or other wooden 
splints. Sometimes children were told to make 
words out of so called "word builders". Wlien 
teachers were asked what the purpose of this 
woik was they invaria])ly replied "it is busy 
work". But what is "bu.sy work"— Then would 
come the reply— "It is to keep them busy" 

41 — Character of school work 

a_Teachers fail to relate what they teach in school to what 
the child does and learns outside of school 
(1) From earliest years the child reared in the country 



56 Condition'! a»d .V"c7.< of Tlnnil ^(li<i<ih in Wisconsin. 

becomes responsible for the performances of tasks 
and chores whicli must be done regularly and at 
definite times. Wcod must be cut, the pigs and 
calves fed ; the cows must be milked and many 
other similar duties mXist be done. Out of these 
responsibilities grow trustworthiness, habits of 
work, the power of concentration and applica- 
tion. The child comes to the rural school vigor- 
ous,, active with senses keen and a strong impulse 
to do. He has accpiired considerable knowledge 
of his environment. He has a splendid founda- 
tion for the study of geography, Iwtanj-, zoology 
He has some knowledge of soils; he knows why 
one field is better than another for a certain crop ; 
in his observations of farm life he has been stimu- 
lated to reason upon causes such as wind, rain and 
sunshine. He is acquainted with the topography of 
the farm'. He is familiar with plants and weeds 
on the farm'. He knows clover, corn, potatoes, 
timothy and other plants and grasses. He knows 
how they grow, how they are harvested and of 
what use they are. He knows the farm animals, 
the .trees, the flowers and many of the bii'ds. All 
of these things have interested him because of their 
usefulness and their power to increase the family 
income. This extensive fund of information he 
brings to the school. Here it does not fit in. 
His introduction to school work is the traditional 
"see the cat", "see the rat", "the cat sees the 
rat" and other woi*se than useless twaddle. Ac- 
customed to doing things full of purpose, he fails 
to react under the stimulation of textbook material 
to which his previous experience is unrelated. The 
teacher has failed to capitalize the child's experi- 
ence. As a result, he becomes listless, indifferent 
and indolent 

b — The story of several recitations heard in different schools 

will serve to show the failui-e of many teachers to adapt 

the work to the ability of the child and to the community 

<1) Coming Into one school the investigator found a 



Conditions aiul Xttdx uf Eiinii Sclmols in Wisconsin. 57 

class of two boys and oue girl reciting iu geog- 
rai)liy. The ehiklreu ranged iu age fi-om' 12 to 
15 years. The oldest, a boy, was asked to name 
the exports and imports of England. He was un- 
able to give any answer and although the teacher 
struggled with him and with the other eliildren, 
she failed to get the replies she sought. She ex- 
plained that they were embarrassed because a vis- 
itor was present. The investigator asked if he 
might ask them' a few questions and the teacher 
consented. Turning to the boy iirst called on by 
the teacher, he asked him what the exports of his 
father's farm were. The boy still hesitated, but 
replied with the question, '"Do you mean what 
we raise?" Encouraged by a partial assent, he 
A\ent on and.Iiecam'e quite enthusiastic in telling 
about the various crops grown. Another question 
brought ovit what was retained on the farm 
and what was sold. Asked as to imports he again 
hesitated, not knowing tlie meaning of the word 
"imjiorts". When asked what was needed on the 
farm that tliey could not raise, he again started 
off and gave a very clear statement, suggesting 
farm machinery, groceries, harnesses and also 
spoke of buying seed potatoes and seed corn. 
This opened up a new field. Before leaving the 
sidi.iect, the visitor asked the children to com- 
pare ex-port and im-port asking them to give the 
meaning of the words. "Without hesitation one 
of the boys said ''Why exports means what you 
.take off the farms and imports what .you bring in." 
Other pupils modified this and gave the general 
meaning. During the lesson the rest of tlie school 
were interested and when at last the original ques- 
tion was brought up the pupils were eager to re- 
cite and did so intelligently. They now under- 
stood what was wanted and were eager to tell all 
they knew, and even more anxious to find out the 
facts supiilied by the text 
(2) A class of two lioys and three girls was reviewing 
the subject in preparation for the county super- 



^8 Conditions and Needs of Rurul Schools in Wisconsin. 

intendent's examination for the common school 
diploma. The pupils had been assigned ten prob- 
lems selected by the teacher and written upon the 
board. Following are some of the examples: 

(a) What per cent above cost must a merchant 
mark an article in order to sell it at a discount 
of 16% of the list price and still make a 
profit of 11% ? 

(b) An agent sells 415 yards of woolens at 
$1.52 a yard charging 2^/^% commission. He 
invests the net proceeds in silks at $1.95 a 
yard charging 33,4% commission. How many 
yards can he buy? 

(c) At what price must 4% bonds be bought 
to yield 5% on the investment? 

The pupils could not do these problems. The 
teacher presented the solution, but the recitation 
showed clearly that the pupils did not know the 
terms discount and comnussion and liad absolutely 
no idea of what a bond was. Neither did the 
teacher. Asked why she had selected these prob- 
lems, the teacher explained, "they were in the 
arithmetic book". Curious to know whether these 
children understood the very simplest problems in 
profit and loss, the investigator asked them to 
solve the following: "If you buy a pencil for 2c 
and .sell it for 3e, what per cent do you gain?" 
They took all the time they wanted for the solu- 
tion. The.se are the answers they wrote on slips 
of paper, 1%, 50%, 331/3%, 1/2% while one had 
1/2 or 14%- ^^o one could explain how his result 
was obtained. When asked to give the equivalent 
per cents for i-.. I3, V^. if,, they not only could 
not do so but they did not know what was meant 
(3) Contrast to this some arithmetic work done during 
a recitation in agriculture. Entering the school 
the investigator found a class of seven children 
ranging in age from 11 to 16 determining at the 
blackboard the value of milk product of three 
cows owned by parents of some of the pupils. 
Following are the facts given : 



■Condiiiotis and Xnds uf liiiral i<cltool.s in Wificon^in. 59 

Cow No. 1 gave 220 lbs. milk during week test- 
ing 31/2 /i 

Cow No. 2 gave 196 lbs. milk during week test- 
ing i% 

Cow No. 3 gave 250 lbs. milk during week test- 
ing 3% 
How much was realized from each cow for the 
week, butter fat being worth 28c a lb.? Later in 
the same session, boys were determining the act- 
ual amount of corn, on an ear. They weighed the 
ear of corn, shelled it and weighed the corn and 
cob separateh' and found what per cent of the 
whole, the cob and the corn were. One little fel- 
low discovered and seemed delighted to announce 
that "you can't tell by the size of the ear how 
iiiueli corn it has; it may be mostly all cob." No 
comment is necessary as to the relative value of 
these two recitations: neither is it necessary to 
call attention to the deadening effect of the first 
and of the splendid stimulation of the pupils re- 
sulting from the second 
(4) A class in civics in another school consisted of two 
boys nud a girl apparently fourteen or fifteen 
years of age. The teacher was struggling to teach 
the three departments of government — the execu- 
tive, legislative and judicial. The pupils had 
"gone over" the lesson in tbe textbcok but could 
give uo answers to the teacher's questions. Upon 
a.sking them to open their text books and read the 
lesson, the investigator found that they were not 
only unable to get any thought but they actually 
could not pronounce some of the words of the 
lesson. One boy pronounced "executive" ex-e-eu- 
tive and failed utterly to pronounce "judicial". 
Seeing how useless it was to continue with this 
lesson the visitor was curious to find out whether 
they knew anything of local and state government. 
The girl told him that La Follette was now gov- 
ernor and one of the boys insisted it was Taft. 
They had never heard of IMcGovern. "When asked 
as to the school district, thev knew how member* 



60 Conditions and Xt(ds of h'und Schouls m Wisconsin. 

of the scliool board were elected, and they knew 
what some of their duties were. They knew noth- 
ing of how the money required for maintaining 
the school was raised although they had studied 
"taxes" in arithmetic. Asked as to the duties of 
the county superintendent, a little girl said that 
his duty was to visit the schools and a boy sug- 
gested tliat the "county superintendent made chil- 
dren go to school". Tliese same questions were 
repeated in many other schools and rarely were 
the correct answers given 
(5) Other recitations could be described, but those given 
are typical. Much of the work is meaningless and 
unrelated to any of the child's pre\'ious experi- 
ences. Good work was found but W'as so excep- 
tional as to be almost a negligible quantity when 
the work of the rural schools as a whole is Con- 
sidered 

c — Teachers fail in the teaching of reading 

(1) Power to read is fundamental, and yet pupils are- 

rarely found who are able to pick out the essen^ 
tial facts of a paragraph. Failure to do this makes 
it impossible for the student to gain results in 
the subjects requiring him to get his information 
liy reading. Even in the solution of arithmetical 
])roblems most of the trouble arises from the in- 
ability of the pupil to read the problems so as to 
understand the conditions named. Most of the 
reading consists in the mere calling of words; it 
is a mechanical process, in whicli thought-getting 
is not the end sought 

(2) The actual situation is best shown bj' the following- 

incidents : 

(a) In one school the older pupils were found 
reading out of a liislory. One para- 
graph contained the following: "Andros- 
was given power to deprive all the col- 
onies of their old charters and to give 
them a new government"— Stumblingly 
, a fifteen year old bov read along "Andros 



CuiiJitiiins and Needs of Bund ScJiooh in Wisconsin. Gl 

was give power to deprive all the col- 
onies of their old eharaeters and to give 
them' a new goveriuiient". 'This was un- 
corrected and another pupil read ou in 
a most laborious way. The following sen- 
tence appeared in another paragraph — 
"During- the leign of King George III, 
British troops were stationed at Boston 
and the presence of the red coats was 
displeasing to the citizens"*. This time 
a girl read, with tiie following result: 
'"During the region of King George HI, 
British troops were sfatirned at Boston 
and the presence of the red coats was very 
tlisjilacing to the citizens". The really 
vital thing fo lie considered is not that 
these pupils miscalled llie wcjrds reign, 
ciuirter and displeasing, but rather that 
the readers were alisulutdy unconscious 
of tlie fact that changing the \v(n'ds com- 
pletel.^' destro.ved the thought of the sen- 
tence. The.y had not developed a read- 
ing consciousness. So long as reading is a 
mere calling of words and not an eft'ort to 
get thought, what can be gained from the 
study of historv, geography, literature or 
any other subject requiring the reading 
of text books for the information de- 
sired? This inability readily to recog- 
nize ordinary words is very common. 
Even in the better rural schools pupils 
do not read easily and with facilit.v 
(b) Another rending class consisted of two girls 
and a boy. They had been in school 
fourteen months. They wei'e reading in 
one of the standard primers, the saiiv- 
book in which they had sta"ted when fii'.Ti 
coming to school. The child called on 
began to pronounce words : when he hes- 
itated the teacher named it for him. In 
this way the teacher pronounced OA'er one- 



62 CondilioH.s und Xnds of Rural Schools in ^Visc■onsin. 

tliii-d of all the words, by actual count. 
There was no attempt to group words, 
into phrases or sentences, so as to get 
the thought 
(c) Another class of children who were doing 
third year work was found reading the 
"Story of the Three Bears." Labori- 
ously the pupils struggled through sev- 
eral paragraphs. "When asked to repeat 
the stor.y they had read, they were un- 
able to do so. The visitor then said to 
one of the children "Can't you tell the 
story of the three bears?" Immediately 
the child's face lighted up and eagerly 
he told the story. Upon inquiry the 
visitor learned that the teacher had told 
them this story some da\-s previous for 
a language exercise. It was apparent 
that although the children were reading 
the very story told them by the teacher 
they had failed to recognize it in the 
lesson 

d — It is notable that the graduates of the County Training 
Schools were nuich more effective in teaching reading than 
the teachers who had bad no training 

e — Those who had graduated from the New Richmond High 
School Training Department, five of whom were seen, 
were unusually strong and effective in their teaching due 
to the fact that in this school unusual care is taken to 
teach their students methods in trachiug reading and pri- 
mary work generally 

42 — How teachers obtain their positions 

a — In conversation with school dii'ectors the investigator re- 
peatedly inqnii-ed as to the method used in engaging 
teachers. In the school board conventions the investiga- 
tor had a fine opportunity for meeting and conversing^ 
with school directors 



Conditions and Needs of Fui-<ii Sclidoh in Wisci'nsin. 63 

(1) The following interview with one school member 
is typical of many others: How do you hire your 
teacher? "Well, tliat depends". Depends on 
what? was asked. "Well, it depends on whether 
we have many trying to get the school or not". 
AVhat do you do when you have no applicants? 
''Well, we have to write to the count.y . superin- 
tendent then, and he gets us a teacher". But 
what do you do when the teachers apply to you 
in person? "Why, we talk to her and if she 
looks good, we in-omise her the job." Do the 
three school direc-tors ever get together to talk 
over the merits and qualifieations of different ap- 
jilicants? "No, we don't. You see we don't have 
to. She usually conies to see each of us separately 
and we tell her". How do you know whether 
the teacher is the kind you want? "Wlaat do 
you mean?" Don't you know that there is a 
gi'eat difference in teachers? That some manage 
their schools in such a way that the.y do the chil- 
dren more liarm than good? That some accom- 
plish more in one term than others do in five? 
How do yoii know what kind you are getting? 
"Well, if she has had experience isn't that enough? 
She can tell us how much she has taught, can't 
she?" 

1) — This interview tells the story. Scliool board members do 
not select teachers intelligently. Personal considerations 
usually determine the I'hoice. A good looking girl with 
a winning way can easily gain the directors' approval. 
Even if she is not particularly pleasing in personality, 
prevailing human nature makes it ditificult to arbitrarily^ 
say to an applicant that she can't have the position. 
AVliat the director usually says if not entirely satisfied 
with the applicant's appearance, is that if the other di- 
rectors do not object, he won't. Having gained the com- 
plete or partial consent of the first board member seen, 
she goes to the second. To him' she tells of her inter- 
view with the first member. The second member takes the 
position that he is willing if the others are. To gain the 



64 Conditions and Needs of h'ural Schools in Wis 



isconsi It. 



consent of the third director is easy, as the teacher can 
say to him that the other two liave no objections 

c — In conversation with tcadiers tlie investigators verified the 
facts as given above. Teachers stated that unless some 
neighborliDod quarrel complicated the situation, the 
method of procedure described prevails generally where 
sehcol board members select the teachers 

(1 — In some counties, the superintendent has succeeded in con- 
vincing school board members that they are not in a posi- 
tion intelligently to select teachers for their schools, that 
they should contract with no one not recommended by 
him for the position. In one county careful inquiry 
showed that for two years past no rural school teacher had 
been employed -without the advice and consent of the 
county superintendent. In every county visited, county 
superintendents to a greater or less degree are asked by 
school boards to recommend teachers. It was im'possible 
to determine just to what extent this was done as count.v 
superintendents kept no record showing the facts 

43 — The lack of efficient supervision 

a — Many teachers were found who in their teaching fell far 
short of what they could have accomplished, had they re- 
ceived the benefit of intelligent direction and of con- 
structive criticism. While but comparatively few teach- 
ers could equal the best described, either in scholarship, 
aptness in teaching or in fine personal qualities, yet all 
the teachers seen with liut few exceptions displayed such 
an earnestness and eagerness to do the mcst possible for 
their schools, that iinder the stimulating leadership of a 
county superintendent who was earnestly trying to work 
out a definite constructive program for improving his 
schools, these teachers would have greatly increased their 
teaching effieienc.v. Taken as a whole the quality of school 
work seen was poor. This is due not so much to the lack 
of interest or unwillingness on the part of teachers, but 
rather to the fact that they do not know what to do nor 
how to do it. Through no fault of theirs they are lacking 
in school ideals: they have little or no appreciation of 



a- 



Condiiions and Needs of Riinil Nc/c/rV.v in ]Visco)isin. 6") 

what a rural school should accouiplish aud how it should 
Diiuister to tlie needs of tlie school community. They are 
teaching as they were taught, handling the usual subject 
matter in a lifeless aiid perfunctory manner. The one 
thing most needed to lift school work from the rut of 
mediocrity into which it has sunk is intelligent leadership. 
Teachers need lielpfnl suggestion, encouragement and the 
stimulation which conies from appreciation of results ac- 
complished 

-Where there is leadcrsliip and sympathetic cooperation with 
teachers by superintendents, teachers do respond and be- 
come tremenduously effective in earning out a superin- 
tendent's constructive jirograni. There is much poor work 
and a great deal of wasted effort in the rural schools in- 
spected. Teachers are severely criticised and held respon- 
sible for the conditions found. Apparently they are to 
blame. Actually the responsibility lies with county super- 
intendents who fail to use or to make the best of their 
opportunities 

(1) to develoj) tlie latent powers of their teaching corps 

(2) to arouse among school patrons a healthier school 

spirit 

(3) to point to l)etter scliool ideals and in other ways 

become the cdui'ational leaders of their counties 

44 — Training of teachers for rural schools 

-Four county training schools were inspected 

(]; One was in the same liuilding with a county agri- 
cultural and doiDcstic science school. There seemed 
to be practically im cooperation between the 
faculties of the two schools. The young men stu- 
dent teachers did not have the use of the manual 
training equiiiment downstairs belonging to the 
agricultural school. The young women student 
teachers did not use the cooking equipment of the 
domestic science sciiool. The instruction in music, 
drawing annd calisthenics was particularly good. 
The practice teaching department was efficiently 
managed although all tiie practice work had to 



OG CuncUtiotts a\id Needs of Rural Schnols in Wisconsin. 

be done in graded city schools. Tlie teacher in 
charge of this department took out her pupils in 
groups to observe in nearby rural schools. The 
lighting of the building, the ventilation and in 
fact all the sanitary arrangements were above the 
average. The classrooms were adorned with good 
pictures and statuettes. The school possessed an 
electrical stereoptican and reflectroscope. In 
spite of its shortcomings, the influence of this 
school was incalculable. On entering a rural 
school in the vicinity one could always tell whether 
the teacher came from the nearby training school 
(2) Another county training school, which in its pros- 
pectus called itself a normal, occupied its own 
building. The building cost $30,000 and was up- 
to-date in almost every particular. The ratio of 
window ai'ea to floor area was 1 -A. Good ventila- 
tion was insured by powerful fans. The air, how- 
ever, was so dry as to make speaking difficult 
and teachers frequently complained of sore throat. 
Although the conditions might easily be par- 
tially corrected at little expense nothing has been 
done. The school possesses an anemometer, which 
the principal could not read. He holds the in- 
strument in front of the fresh air inlet, and if 
the wheel goes around rapidly, he decides that 
the ventilation is all right. The staff averages 
over 10 years in experience. Two have university 
training and the others noiinal school training. 
Only one has had experience in rural school teach- 
ing and administration. The tenure of office of 
members of the staff varies from: two to nine years. 
The school enrolled an unusually large proportion 
of high school graduates, 21 out of 70. The prac- 
tice teaching department was strong but all 
jirnetice teaching and observation was done in 
graded classes. There are rooms for manual train- 
ing and domestic economy but they are not 
equipped. Except for a very little agriculture, 
the instruction. is in the traditional subjects, but 
this, on account of the good equipment and the able 



Conditions and Needs uf Rur(d Schools in Wisconsin. 67 

staff, is of a high order. The school has an excel- 
lent library, piano, numerous pictures and statu- 
ettes presented by gi-aduating classes, and the be- 
ginnings of an excellent mtisemu 

b — Two normal schools with courses for country teachers were 
visited 

(1) One such course is given in a normal school in a 

small third class city. The country lies all around 
and near at hand. The normal school has adopted a 
real rural school, at some distance froni the town, 
for i)ractice pui-poses. This school is efficiently 
taught by an experienced teacher. Tliere is a 
proposal that this school be moved to the nonnal 
school campus in order to obviate the difficulty 
of transporting practice teachers. This would de- 
stroy the opportunity of making the present school 
• a real rural school center and of thus placing an 
object lesson in community work before the eyes 
of the student teachers 

(2) Another normal school which gives a course for 

rural teachers had also adopted a one room un- 
graded school as a practice school. It was, how- 
ever, a rural s<-hool in name only. Out of 30 chil- 
dren only one lived on a farm. The teacher said 
veiy pointedly that he had no use for eountrj' 
life nor sympathy with it. Neither was he willing 
to give any time or effort to social center work. It 
might be all right for those who liked that sort of 
thing, l)Ut for himself he found social relations 
with such people as he would have to jneet very 
distasteful. At any rate he hadn't any time to 
give to outside work. The influence of this young 
man was sufficient to neutralize a great deal of the 
advantages resulting from good eciuipment and a 
trained staff of instructors 

c — A training department for rural school teachers in connec- 
tion with a high school was visited 
(1) This school is in the heart of a wealthy agricultural 
community. The high school has an attendance of 
250 pupils, ,130 of whom come from neighboring 



68 Condiiionfi and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

rural districts. The high school does unusually 
strong \vork, due largely to the excellence of the 
teachers and the fact that the boys and girls from 
the county are earnest and eager to make the most 
of their school opportunities. They must pay 
tuition aud hoard. The incidental expenses added 
to these inakes the total close to .$25.00 a month. 
The children realize that this is a considerable sum 
and they feel that only by doing their best will 
such an expense be justified. Such modern 
branches as manual training, cooking, etc., are 
entirely lacking. Many young people com'e to the 
school so a's to fit themselves for teaching in rural 
schools. It is a mark of distinction to be allowed 
to take the work in the teachers' training depart- 
ment as only those who have done strong work 
during the first two years of their high school 
course are allowed to register for the teachers' 
training course. The pupils in this department 
are given strong courses in the subjects usually 
taught in tlie rural schools and in addition they 
are given some splendid work in practical agri- 
culture. It is the purpose of the principal of the 
school to give a course the coming year showing 
these prospective teachers how the rural school 
m'ay become the real social center of the community 
and what a teacher may do to bring this about. 
The practice teaching is in charge of an unusually 
fine teacher, who is also principal of the primary 
grades in the city schools. The practice work is 
done in the fii'st, second, third and fourth grades. 
Some little practice teacliing is done in nearby 
rural schools and a considerable amount of ob- 
servation. The teaching by the pupils is done 
under the direction and supervision of the prin- 
cipal of the practice department. Not only do the 
practice teachers take charge of entire classes in 
a i-oom l)ut they frequently take small groups of 
pupils into the halls where they drill pupils in 
such parts of the work as the pupils need especially 
to review.. In this way pupils who are backward and 



Conditiotis and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin, (il) 

who ordinarily would become laggards are given 
just the help they need and so saved from becom- 
ing "repeaters." The halls are spacious, fitted up 
with blackboards so that this group teaching can 
be effectively done. Teaching these groups is more 
like actual country school teaching than the usual 
instruction of a class enrolling from 20 to 40 
jiupils. Five schools in which graduates of this 
training school were teaching were visited by one 
of the investigators. In one school inspected, the 
strongest work seen by this investigator in any rural 
school in Wisconsin was observed. All the other 
teachers were far beyond the average in ability. 
They showed in their teaching, their management 
of the school, their attitude to the school district, 
the effects of the training they had received 



PART I\ 



Some Serious Defects of County Supei'visiou 



1 — The supervision of schools by county superintendents is 
hopelessly inadequate 

a — Visits to the schools are made too infrequently 

(1) Prom records in the county superintendents' offices 

it has been found that more than one visit to the 
same school in one year is infrequent 

(2) From a careful inquiry in 13 counties, in which 131 

rural schools were visited during the period from 
February to June, it was found that in only one 
county had more than two visits been made to any 
one school ; that the average to all schools was only 
one, and that 17 schools had not been visited dur- 
ing the year 1911-1912 

(3) Of eight rural schools seen in one county, only two 

had been visited within a year; one had been vis- 
ited three times in five years; one had not been 
visited in two years; three in three years and one 
in five years 

b — The large number of schools that many county superinten- 
dents have under their charge now makes it necessary to 
cut the visits so short as to be almost futile, if they visit 
each school twice a year 

(' — 'Rural schools in Wisconsin are in session from 160 to 180 
days; but the superintendent cannot visit on all of these 
days because 
(1) The roads are often bad and weather is often in- 
clement 



Conditions and Needs of Uiiral HeJiooIs in Wisconsin. 71 

(2) Press of clerical duties and office routine frequently 

keeps him at home 

(3) Visiting is in many cases not desirable on afternoons 

preceding or forenoons following holidays 
(-1) Visiting during the last few weeks of the year is 
comparatively ineffective. On the whole, county 
superintendents might fairly be expected to spend 
100 days per year in visiting schools. The fol- 
lowing table gives an idea of conditions in 13 
counties : 



County 


Numbei 


:• of Buildings 


Numbei 


• of Teachers 


1 




78 






90 


2 




31 






52 


3 




59 






75 


4 




92 






118 


5 




190 






235 


6 




71 






172 


7 




119 






155 


8 




127 






187 


9 




75 






95 


10 




135 






197 


11 




191 






236 


12 




234 






319 


13 




116 






194 



On the basis of a 6 hour school day, the theoreti- 
cally possible length of visits varies from ly^ 
hours in a thickly settled southern county to 5 
hours and 45 minutes in a thinly settled northern 
county. The figures given are only theoretically 
possible in many northern, counties where dis- 
tances between school buildings are great and 
where roads are bad. In many other counties, 
where visits of two or three hours are practically 
possible, the visiting falls far short of 100% 
efficiency 
(5) Supervision becomes perfunctory and but little time 
is given to personal conference with either the 
teacher or the school board 



72 Conditions and Xcrds of Kunil .sV/zno/.v ('/( Wisrun.tin. 

( 6 ) " This is the first time that my school has ever been 

inspected", has been the frequent remark of the 
teacher to the investigator 

(7) Every year 1.500 young girls of common school educa- 

tion and M'ith only six weeks training in methods of 
teacliiug and school administration are facing their 
first school, yet the only supervision they receive 
is the brief visit of the county superintendent and 
the conferences at the institutes 

(8) The state superintendent says in his fourteenth bi- 

ennial report (page 3) "There is no adequate su- 
pervision of these schools. As a rule the county 
superintendent finds it impossible to visit the 
schools more than once a year and then for a brief 
time. Many of these visits come toward the end 
of the school year. The teacher is thus thrown 
almost wholly upon her own resources, and one out 
of every three or four teachers on the average is 
doing her first year's work and in many cases 
never saw the inside of a country school before" 

2 — The unrestricted powder to certificate teachers, held by the 
county superintendent, is a source of great weakness 

a — The standard of marking examination papers varies from 
county to county. A grade of 50 is acceptable as passing 
mark in some, 60 and even 70 is required in others. Of 
47 superintendents answering the question, "Would the 
free selection of teachers from other counties improve your 
.schools?" 34 answered, "No," meaning to express distrust 
in the judgment of other superintendents 

b — Tile questions used in the examinations are frequently un- 
suitable for testing the candidates' abilities. In some 
cases questions are bought by the superintendent already 
printed from school supply houses and used without pre- 
tense of adapting them to local needs 

c — Too many opportunities are offered for favoritism and undue 
influence from outside 
(1) One count.v superintendent remarked to the investiga- 
tor that a predecessor in office would issue a license 



Conditions and Xccds of Rural Hchooh in Wisconsi)}. IW 

to any candidate he would name, "even if it were 
a two-year old child" 
(2) It is coninionly asserted even by county superinten- 
dents that from certain other superintentents 
"anyliody can get a certificate who is related to 
one or more voters" 

3 — Anxiety about re-election is a bar to higher efficiency 

a — It leaves the superintendent directly responsible to no one 

(1) His responsibility to the state superintentent or to 

anyone who can judge the efficiency of his service 
is negligible 

(2) Kespousibilily to the electorate can be evaded through 

the usual method of "politics" 

b — If femjifs liim to curry favor with the politicians instead of 
insisting upon good schools 

(1) The very people whom he should condemn for fail- 

ure to provide decent schools and equipment are 
those who can oppose his re-election 

(2) The greater the need for vigorous action, the more 

dangerous it is for the county superintendent to 
do his duty 

(3) Having spent, as practically all must, several hun- 

dred dollars in canvassing for election, he is natur- 
all.y timid about losing the advantage once gained. 
(One county superintendent declared to an inves- 
tigator that it cost him $400 to be elected and his 
opponent $1,000 to be defeated) 

4 — The salaries are insufficient 

a — In 1911 the salaries paid to county superintendents were: 

Less than $800, 5 

$800 to $1.000 33 

$1,100 to $1,200, 25 

$1,300 to $1,400, 4 

$1,500, 4 

$1,800, 1 ■ 

b — The best equipped men accept the salaries under $1,500 only 
as a stepping stone to other professions or to politics 



74 Conditions and Xccds of Rural ScJiools in Wisconsin. 



5 — The enforcement of the truancy law is not effective 

a — Coi)|)('r;iti(iii is hickiiiL;- l>ct\veen departments and between 
ofificials 

b — Confusion exists ;is to wliose duty it is to enforce the law 

e — Many county suptTinlendeuts content themselves with send- 
ing to tlie industrial commission or to the sheriff, or both, 
lists of chiklren, wlio liave been reported by the teachers 
as absent one or more days, and take no further action 

(1) The cause of absence is not always stated 

(2) These county superintendents hold that the respon- 

sibilit.y of bringing the children to school rests 
with the industrial commission 

(3) The fear of getting into trouble with his own con- 

stituents makes the county superintendent eager to 
shift upon tlie industrial commission the burden 
of enforcing the law 

d — Representatives of the industrial commission contend that 
it is the duty of the county authorities to enforce the 
truancy law, and that its own function is primarily to see 
tliat the county superintendent, the sheriff and the dis- 
trict attorney are diligent in enforcing the law, and that 
the power it may have to pi'osecute individual eases is 
rendered nugatory by the lack of appropriation therefor 

e — No .system has been devised giving such supervision. (Since 
tliis was written the industrial commi.ssion has taken steps 
to remedy this defect) 

(1) In the office of county superintendents as a mle 

there are no records of actions taken in regard to 
delinquent parents, nor of children who are re- 
turned to school a.s a result of such action 

(2) Without such records, any supervision by the in- 

dustrial coiiiiiiission is impossible 

f — Neither from tbc office of the state superintendent nor from 
the industrial commission have definite instructions been 
issued as to the ]iolicy of enforcing the truancy law 



Conditions and Needs of Rural Scliouls in Wisconsin. 75 

g — The attempts of the sheriii' aud district attorney to enforce 
the truancy law are generally perfunctory 

(1) The usual procedure is for the sheriff to notify the 

delinquent parents by mail that they have failed 
to comply with the law 

(2) In one county the sheriff stated that he had, during 

the school year 1911-12, sent out 145 notices, of 
whicli only 11, most of them' in the city, had been 
investigated by him or his deputies. The records 
in the county superintendent's office seemed to 
indicate — the records were somewhat indefinite — 
(hat 283 names had been reported to this sheriff. 
In no case had an attempt been made to inform 
the teacher of the sheriff's action and no records 
of results were kept. 

(3) Teachers are not infonned of notices sent to parents. 

The county superintendents rely upon the teach- 
ers' monthly report to see results 

(4) In one count.v lists of truant children had been 

regularly sent to the district attorney, who, upon 
inquiry late in the spring, stated that he had mis- 
laid the papers and forgotten about them 

h — In two counties visited the delinquent parents were arrested 
because the warning notice sent upon the first offense had 
not been heeded 

6 — Systematic use is not made of records in supervising 
schools, attendance and teachers 

a — Cnnuilativc records of visits describing conditions of school 
buildings in need of supplies and repairs, of I'ecommenda- 
tions submitted to school boards, of improvements made 
and of progress of the school as shown in better attend- 
ance, etc., are conspicuous bv their absence 

li — In 110 ciiunty superintendent's office has a complete set of 
last year's census lists been found 
(1) One supei'iutendent had received during the year no 
report of the names or the number of children at- 
tending the various schools, and had no m'eans of 
knowing what jtroportion of children were enrolled 



7G Conditions and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

or how man}' of compulsory age ever came to 
school 
1,2) Kepeated reciiiests for teachers' reports for truant 
children were met with the reply that these re- 
ports must have been misplaced, as they could not 
be found 

c — Ouly in six counties seen were records of the teachers' legal 
qualifications found, although the county superintendent 
certifies to the state superintendent that none but quali- 
fied teachers are engaged. Most county superintendents 
obtain this information, if at all, at their visits to the 
schools. Records showing the standing received by teach- 
ers in examinations for certificates have l)een found in all 
counties 

d — Keeord of teacliing power, skill in school management, at- 
tendance at professional schools or institutes is rarely made 

e — ;\lodern office equipment, such as filing cabinets, card cata- 
logues, etc., are only sparingly or not at all supplied by 
the county boards 

(1) In one of the counties seen, the superintendent had 

been provided with an office, but the only indica- 
tion of equipment was her own typewriter 

(2) One superintendent who kept systematic records of 

his work was compelled to file them in pigeon- 
holes and drawers of his desk. To find any of 
them he wastes considerable time, which a filing 
cabinet would save for better use 

f — Reports and form's u.sed are not standardized as to size; 
therefore in consulting important documents so much unty- 
ing of bundles, folding and unfolding of papers is re- 
quired and time wasted, that such consultations are nat- 
urally infrequent 

g — When a new superintendent is elected, he steps into an office 
that furnishes him with scanty or no information. Of 
the official acis of his predecessor he has no records. He 
must spend a year or more in getting acquainted with the 
schools before he can enter intelligently upou his duties 
as a superintendent 



Conditions and Needs of Riiral Srlidals in Wiseonsin. 77 

-No provision is made by the state department to instruct a 
county superintendent in the performance of ofSce duties, 
althougii efficient administration requires s.ystematic rec- 
ord keeping 

(1) Instruction in methods that prevail in an up-to-date 

business office, and proper forms and systems of 
records could legitimately come from' the state de- 
partment 

(2) Properly systematized, most of this work could be 

done by a clerk and the superintendent find in- 
creased time for supervision of schools 

-The lack of sj'stem in keeping records and the neglect of the 
county boards of supervisors to provide him with office 
help, compel the county superintendent to waste time that 
should be spent in visiting schools, the most important of 
his duties 

(1) A clerk relieves one superintendent of much of such 

duties as checking, sunnnarizing and filing, keep- 
ing track of correspondence with school boards 
and teachers, giving routine information, distribut- 
ing pamphlets and circulars 

(2) "Without a. system or method the county superin- 

tendent finds the performance of this clerical work 
an excuse to remain unnecessarily in his office and 
to postjione and omit school visiting 



PART Y 



Some Serious Defects in State Supervision 



1 — The responsibility of county superintendents for the super- 
vision of rural schools is not clearly defined by law 

a — The state superintendent eannot, for instance, remove from 
ofKee a county superintendent for laxity in visiting schools, 
for issuing certificates to incompetent teachers, for per- 
mitting unsanitary conditions to continue in schools 

2 — Present powers of the state superintendent have not been 
adequately exercised 

a — He has the power — and tlie duty — to demand reports of 
work perfornied and results accomplished and the oppor- 
tunity of using publicity in comparing those results 

(1) "It shall be the duty of eveiy county superintend- 

ent * * * from time to time (to transmit) 
siich other facts relating to education in his dis- 
trict as the state superintendent shall require", 
(page 100, School Laws of Wisconsin) 

(2) "It shall be the duty of said (state) inspector (of 

rural schools) * * * to procure informa- 
tion concerning the rural school districts * • * 
(and) to confer with each count}' or district su- 
perintendent concei'ning the conditions of the 
schools in his county or district". (Page 306, 
School Laws) 

1) — Regular inspection of the offices of county superintendents 
or of the records contained therein is not made 



CondUions and Xccds uf liiind (ScAoo/.s- in Wisconsin. 7'J 
c — PublioiitidU of findings is therefore impossible 

d — Comparison of coiiuty witli county, sliowing the condition 
of tile schools and the etificiency of county superintendents, 
is not presented to the people by the state superintendent 

e — No ri'gular system is devised by which the work of an effici- 
ent county superintendent is brought to the attention. of 
other superintendents 

1' — The eft'ective work described en pages 8-10 in this report 
as done by one county remains prnctically. unknown in the 
rest of the state 

3 — Low standards of certification frustrate the efforts of the 
county training schools 

a — The rural school is m;;de a training held for graded and 
city schools and a dumping-place for untrained and un- 
successful teachers 

1) — The supi)ly of inexperienced girls who are now legally quali- 
fied to teach keeps the salaries at a rate which no com- 
petent teacher is willing to continue in school work 

c — The law that "cheap money always drives good money from 
the market" is as inexorable when applied to teachex'S as 
it is in trade. So long as the standards of salaries is set 
by the untrained teachei's, the graduates of the training 
schools will, in spite of the exhortations of the principals, 
go to graded or village schools after tliey have served with 
success a year or two in the ungraded schools 

d — As long as a certificate, ol.)tained after a six weeks training 
course, qualifies for teaching, the purpose of establishing 
training schools, namely to suppl.y the rural schools with 
trained teachers, will net lie attained 

e — The -short time in which teachei's stay in the rural school — ■ 
the bi-ennial school report of IDIO fp. 35) states that 
from oue-fourlh to one-third are new each year — is a strong 
indication that many of the teachers fail to retain their 
position in a school ; or as the report expresess it (p. 33) ; 



80 Comlitions and \cids of h'tifal Scliooh in Wisconsin. 

"llaiiy young ])eople have taken up tliis work not be- 
i-auso tlicy were especially adapted for it, Imt because it 
was the only thing they could do with their limited amount 
of preparation" 

4 — Reports of school facts are lacking in intelligent purpose 

a — The purpose ol' ihc ])res('nt collection is chiefly to furnisli 
iuforniation for the distrihution of school money 

b — School reports offer very scant assistance to those whose 
duty it is to supervise truancy, to fit courses of study to 
the maturity of children in the school, and to know how 
far the schools minister to the needs of the children 

c — Fundamental questions arc left unanswered, such as the age 
at which children enter school, the age at which they leave, 
how many comiiletc the work of the grades, the number 
of days they attend 

d — No cori'elation is made between the number of children on 
the census returns and the number in school, and one is 
at a loss to kiiow how numy children should be in school 
but are not 

e — The facts concerning the rural schools, graded schools and 
high schools are ])ut into one basket, shaken and summar- 
ized into one total 

f — In the table of teachers' salaries the last bi-ennial report pre- 
sents a roseate view of substantial salarj' increases during 
the last decade but fails to state how far the graded and 
high schools, which to-day constitute a much larger per- 
centage of the total number of schools than they did ten 
year's ago, have contributed to this increase 

g — To justify the expenditure for school needs, opinions only, 
not facts, can be quoted. The people are left in unneces- 
sary ignorance of the needs, shortcomings and gains of 
their schools 



Conditions and Needs uf Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 81 

5 — The distribution of school funds is not equitable 

a — Tlie aliotnieut-of public uiouey to the educational depart- 
ments, as public instruction, normal schools, university and 
libraries, or to tlie various branches of any one department, 
as rural schools, city schools, high schools, etc., of the de- 
isartmeut of public instruction, is not based upon a care- 
fully prepared budget sliovving tbe needs ol' tbe various 
departments or branches 

b — Apportioning state money among the towns according to the 
number of children over 4 years of age and under 20 
does not consider the economic power of the district to 
support schools 
(Ij It imposes upon a poor district with 10 children the 
same burden of paying teachers' salaries and build- 
ing a school, as upon a more pojiulous district with 
40 or 50 children 

c — "Taxation for school purposes in tbe country is very un- 
equal in the different districts" 

(1) "Some districts do not tax themselves at all, but 

depend on the state and county money to run their 
schools" 

(2) "Cases have been found in which the district has 

thus accumulated a large bank account in addi- 
tion to running the school" 
(S) "It should be added that in such cases the school 
is usually run on a cheap basis". (Fourteenth 
Biennial Report, p. 3) 

d — An exhaustive study of the present method of providing for 
rural schools lias not been made, but the investigators 
have, on many occasions, seen evidence of wastefulness 
and injustice in the present distribution 

6 — The distribution of school funds is not the factor it should 
be in effecting educational improvement 

a — It gives no premiums to efficient schools 

b — It offers no inducements to the districts to bring all children 
to school who should be there, or keep them in school after 
they are enrolled 



82 Co7)diliovs and Xccds of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

c — It disregards the necessity of efficient teaching 

d — It permits tlie expenditure of scliool money without pro- 
viding adequate control that tlie purpose of the expendi- 
ture shall be accomplished 

e — It supplies tlie inacliiiiery of education but ignores the pur- 
poses 

I' — As long as the state demands that all children of school age 
must attend school, it assumes the responsibility of fur- 
nishing schools that make of the children useful and cap- 
able citizens 



FART VI 



Contrast Between State Supervision of State 

Graded Schools and State Supervision 

of Rural Schools 



a — A careful study was made of the reports ou 50 schools of 
the two state inspectors of state graded schools for the 
academic years 1909-1910, 1910-1911 and 1911-1912. The 
following results appeared: 

(1) Of the 50 schools concerned 

(a) 31 were visited once each year 

(b) 16 were visited twice in three years 

(c) 3 were visited once in three years 

(2) Some of these failures to visit were caused by the 

removal of schools from the list due to failure to 
live up to tlie requirements of the law 

(3) The average time spent in inspection by an inspector 

of state graded schools was 3 hours and 45 minutes 
(4j There is no record to show the average length of an 
inspection by the county superintendent. The 
average length of a visit by liim might theoretic- 
ally be on the average about 2 hours 25 minutes 

(5) The records of visits by inspectors of state graded 

schools show that out of 363 licenses reported on 
only 19 or 5.27o held third grade certificates 

(6) Out of 111 rural school teachers visited 41 or 37.% 

held third class certificates 
(7.) Out of 363 ratings given to teachers 

(a) 2 were marked excellent 

(b) 6 were marked very good 

(c) 101 were marked good 

(d) 207 were marked fair 



84 CondiliuHs and Needs uf Rural Schools in Wisco7isin. 

(e) 'dO were marked poor 

(f) 17 were given no rating 

(8) There is uo similar careful weighing of teachers' 

work in the county inspection 

(9) Out of 78 cases where it would have been possible 

to report improvement or deterioration 

(a) Janitor service was reported improved in 11 

cases, deteriorated in 18 

(b) School grounds were reported improved in 

13 cases, deteriorated in 8 

(c) Outhouses were reported improved in 13 

cases, deteriorated in 10. No such re- 
ports come to the state department from 
rural schools 

(10) In the 128 inspections studied, made by inspectors 

of state graded schools 

(a) 55 recommendations were made to school 

authorities to purchase supplies 

(b) 34 i-ecommendations were made to school 

authorities to purchase equipment 

(c) 25 recommendations were made to school 

authorities to improve ventilation 

(d) 4 recommendations were made to school au- 

thorities to provide evaporating pans 

(e) 19 recommendations were made to school 

authorities with regard to heating 

(f) 7 recommendations were made to school au- 

thorities with regard to lighting 

(g) 7 recommendations were made to school au- 

thorities with regard to drinking water 
(h) 3 recommendations were made to school au- 
thorities with regard to new buildings 

(11) Of all these recommendations only one important 

recommendation had to be repeated three times 
and another twice. In 17 cases state aid was re- 
fused until conditions required by the law were 
fulfilled 

(12) No such service is rendered by the state depart- 

ment to ungraded rural schools 

(13) Power to refuse state aid is a mighty weapon where 

inspection is adequate 



Condilions and Acids of Uaud. Schools in Wisconsin. 80 

(14) After iiisi^ecting- a si'hool, an inspector of a state 
gi'aded school sends tliroogli the state department 
a letter to the school authorities such as the fol- 
lowing : 
]\Ir. , June 3, 1911. 



Dear Sir ; 

Inspector of this department reports 

spending the foi-enoon of May 31st at your school 
in company with your county superintendent. 

Mr. states that lie called to see you and 

discussed matters pertaining to the school. I note 
by the report that the recommendations made 
last year have not been complied with. It was 
recommended that recitation seats be placed in all 
I'ooms. The blackboards in all of your rooms are 
in poor condition and new slate boards should be 
placed in the principal's room before the begin- 
ning of the next school year and it will be well to 
supply one room each year until .ill I'ooms are 
supplied. 

Mr. states that the jtolicy you have 

pursued with regard to engaging a teacher for 
the primary department of your school is not in 
accordance with the spirit of the graded school 
law. I understand that a person with practically 
no experience was engaged when you had an op- 
portunity to secure any one of the three or four 
teachers, recommended by your county superin- 
tendent. You, of course, understand that special 
state aid is granted to the .schools of the state for 
the purpose of giving the districts extra money 
with which to maintain good schools. There is 
nothing that enters into the making of a good 
.school so much as a strong teacher. The policy of 
letting jobs to the lowest bidder will always bring 
poor conditions in time. 

We shall withhold the api)roval of your school 
until the school can be inspected next year and 
we become satisfied that your si'hool board has 



8G Conditions and Needs of Rural Schools in Wisconsin. 

made an earnest endeaver to place the strongest 
teachers possible in your school. 
AVishiug you success, I am, 

Yours truly, 

C. P. Gary, 
State Superintendent. 
(15) Such letters to rural .school authorities fi'om the 
state department are necessarily rare 

b — That this close inspection has its effect is indicated by the 
following facts in contrast with conditions in ungraded 
rural schools 
(1) Of seven .state gi-aded schools investigated in the 
rural school survey 

(a) All but one had a school ground of an acre 

or over 

(b) Only one school site was ranked poor 

(c) The lowest ceiling found was 11 feet high 

(d) All were ventilated by the gravity system 

in connection with either a furnace or a 
jacketed stove 

(e) Waterclosets averaged over 60 feet from 

the buildings and 120 feet apart 

(f) All had been visited during the year by 

the state inspector 

(g) Three had their floor dressed by non-drying 
• oil or used a sweeping compound 

(h) Two had their waterelosets thoroughly 

cleaned out frequently 
(i) One had its watercloset thoroughly cleaned 

semi-annually 
(j) One had its watercloset thoroughly cleaned 

yearly 



PART VII 



Suggested Administrative and Legislative 
Remedies 



1 — That county boards of education be elected at the general 

school election 

a — To consist of tliree meinl>ers to serve six years 

li — To serve without salaries 

(• — To api)oiut the eounty superintendent from an approved 
list made up by the eivil service eounnission 

d — To eonlrol eounty selu)ols of agriculture and eounty train- 
ing schools for teachers 

e — To pass ujion the centralization of school districts 

f — To advise the superintendent to withhold state aid from 
small and inethcient schools whenever in its judgment the 
facts warrant it 

g — To appoint an assistant to the county superintendent when- 
ever the number of teachers in his district exceeds eighty 

2 — That state aid be given to county boards of education to 
assist in the proper maintenance of the office of county 
superintendent on condition that 

a — An 'adcquatt' salary is i>aid to the county sii])crinteudent 

b — An efficient clerk is appointed 

c — The county superintendent dern'oust rates efficiency to the state 
department of public instruction 



88 Conditiojis (Uid Xiuls nf li'iinil Scliools in ^Yisconsin. 

3 — That to insure efficient teaching of agriculture and domes- 
tic economy in rural schools there be appointed 

a — A supcrvi.sor of agriculture and a supervisor of domestic 
arts will) sliall be members of the staff of the state super- 
intendent 

b — Agririiltural iiispcduis who shall be members of the facul- 
ties (if cdunty M'liodls of agriculture 

c. — Other agricultural inspectors in counties where there are no 
county agricultural schools 

4 — That contests in agriculture and domestic economy be en- 
couraged by the state department of public instruction 

5 — That the training of teachers of agriculture end domestic 
economy be encouraged by the offer of free scholar- 
ships 

6 — That the curriculum of the county training schools include 

a — Increased instruction in agriculture 

b — P]lcinents of mcdii-al iuspi'ction 

c — Farm accounting 

d — Methods of keeping school records and accounts 

7 — That qualifications for obtaining teachers' certificates be 

raised 

it — After Jauuai-y 1, i;)]"). ninth and tenth grade work should 
be required licfoi'e taking the six weeks professional train- 
ing course 

1) — After January 1, 1917, graduation from a training school 
or departmeni shall lie required 

e — After January 1, 1919, ninth and tenth grade work should 
be required as entranoe qualifications to training schools 



Conditions and Needs of Riiiyil Schnnls in Wisconsin. S'.t 

d — In case cpiiificates are graufcd liy tlie county superintend- 
ents, the examinations in aeadcniic subjects should lie given 
by the state board of examiners 

8 — That the manual should be revised, eliminating- non-essen- 
tials of the academic subjects, strengthening the courses 
in agriculture and adding courses in manual training 
and domestic arts 

9 — That the staff of school inspectors be strengthened 

a — Two inspeclni's should be temporarily appointed to assist 
districts in planning for centralized schools 

10 — That closer co-operation be estabUshed betw^een the 
schools and the circulating libraries 

a — The township librai'v funds should be expended for the pur- 
chase of books of reference, and for supplementary and 
collatei'id I'eading 

1) — Bonks from the free librai'ies should eircidate among the 
schools 

11 — That the "two mile limit" law be amender? so as to insure 
the education of all children cf school c^j who are out- 
side of the two mile limit. 

12 — That intelligent interpretation and publication of school 

facts be made 

a — Sriiool i-cpnrts slmuld be standardized and adapted to the 
forms suggested by the I'nilcd States Bureau of Educa- 
tion 

b — Annual or moie fre(pieiit build ins containing schoftl facts 
should be issued by the stale superintendent of public in- 
struction 



90 (Jo)iditi()»s and S(((h of Rural Scli(tols in Wisconsin. 



13 — That the use of school money be supervised 

a — Account iug I'orius I'or school clerks and treasurers should be 
prescribed by the state superintendent 

b — Schcol accounts should be checked by state aiulitors 

c — Classified budget estimates for all educational departments 
should be submitted by the proper authorities 

14 — That increased state aid to rural schools and increased 
state supervision of rural schools go hand in hand to 
the end that 

a — Inspection may be made niore effective through the leverage 
afforded by the possibility of withdrawing state aid 

b — The state department may effectively promote among the 
rural communities the widest and most efficient use of their 
educational resources 

16 — That rural schools be classified for subvention and in- 
spection purposes 

a — The following is a tentative plan pending a fuller analysis 

( 1 ) of the present apportionment of school moneys 

(2) of the total expense of putting such a plan in opera- 

tion in city and rural schools 

1i — liural schools of the first chi.*s 

(1) These schools shall contain eight grades and where 
possible one or more high school years. They shall 
be conducted not less than nine months and have 
at least two teachers. The principal shall hold a 
state professional license. One assistant shall hold 
at least the first grade certificate. The principal 
shall be engaged for a whole year and shall be qual- 
iticd to teach agriculture, shall supervise the work 
of the lioys in agriculture during the summer 
months on ]ilots on the home farms and shall eon- 
duct extension work among the adults in the com- 
nnmity. One of the assistants shall be employed 



Conditions and Needs of Rui-<d Hcluieih in Wisconsin. 'Jl 

for a whole year and shall be qualified to teach do- 
mestic arts; shall conduct during the summer ex- 
tension work among the girls and adults of the 
community. The principal shall receive a salary 
of not less than $1,000 per iinnum'. One assistant 
shall receive a salary of not less than $750 per 
annum, and no one less than $50 per month 
(2) The state sliall pay to the local school authorities 
controlling such a school a subvention equal to 
two-thirds of the total amount paid for teachers' 
salaries. Should the local authorities provide a 
ten-acre farm which should be conducted as a 
model farm by the principal, who should receive 
all the produce, and should they build thereon a 
liouse for the use of the principal, the state should 
pay an additional subvention 

-h'ui'al si-hools of the si'coud class 

(1) Such a school shall be conducted for not less than 

nine months and shall employ a first grade teacher 
at a salary of not less than $50 a month and one 
assistant teacher at not less than $45 per month. 
It shall have librar.y facilities, educational equip- 
ment, heating, ventilation and sanitaries such as 
shall be prescribed by the state departm'eut 

(2) The state shoidd jiay to the school board controlling 

such a school a subvention of $250 per annum 

-T>ui-al schools of the third class 

(1) Such a school shall be in session not less than eight 

months per annum. The teacher shall have at 
least a second grade certificate and shall receive a 
salai\y of not less than $45 a month. It shall have 
library fa<^ilities, educational equipment, heating, 
ventilation and sanitaries such as .shall be pre- 
scribed by the state department 

(2) The state shall pay to the school board controlling 

such a school an annual subvention of $100 

-Rural schools of the fourth class 

(1) All other rural schools .shall be included in the fourth 
class. Such schools shall be liable at any time to 



92 Conditions and Nerds of Rural Sclinoh in Wisconsin. 

be closed on the reconimeiidatitm of tlie eouuty 
superintendent or the county hoard of education 
if their enrollment falls below twelve, and shall be 
liable to lose their proportion of the 7-10 mill tax, 
when reported on luifavoi'ably as to efficiency, 
equipment, and sanitation to the state superintend- 
ent of j)ul)lic instruction l)y the county superintend- 
ent, or by a state inspector of rural schools 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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